Family Medicine Physician Joins SoutheastHEALTH
SoutheastHEALTH has welcomed four Family Medicine physicians to its medical staff. All are affiliated with Southeast Primary Care at its West Campus location in Cape Girardeau.
Amanda Pleimann-King, DO, earned her medical degree at Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine in Spartanburg, SC. She completed a residency in Family Medicine at St. Luke’s Des Peres Hospital in St. Louis. A Cape Girardeau native, Pleimann-King says, “It has always been my dream to practice medicine in my hometown and give back to my community. I look forward to partnering with my patients to promote health and wellness.”
About SoutheastHEALTH
At SoutheastHEALTH, the region's premier healthcare system in southeast Missouri, our patients receive excellent care of the highest clinical quality, close to home. Within our network are more than 50 care locations in 12 communities, including hospitals, primary and specialty care clinics representing over 30 clinical specialties and extending care for patients in a four-state area. Learn more at SEhealth.org.
Southeast Hospital Recognized with Prestigious American College of Cardiology Award
Southeast Hospital has received the American College of Cardiology’s NCDR Chest Pain – MI Registry Platinum Performance Award for 2019. This is the eighth consecutive year that Southeast has been singled out as a top performing hospital for heart care. It is one of only 225 hospitals nationwide to receive the honor.
The award recognizes Southeast’s commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of care for heart attack patients and signifies that the hospital has reached an aggressive goal of treating these patients at standard levels of care as specified by the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines and recommendations.
Gabe Soto, MD, PhD, a cardiologist with Cardiovascular Consultants and interim Chief Medical Officer, said, “the award recognizes the unwavering commitment of the entire heart team of physicians, nurses and support staff who are dedicated to continually advancing the care of the hundreds of heart attack patients who turn to Southeast for care every year.”
He noted that in addition to providing evidence-based care to heart attack patients, Southeast is also committed to investing in new technologies and facilities that result in improved safety and better outcomes for these, and all, heart patients. These investments recently included a new, hybrid operating suite with technology to advance treatment options for critically ill heart patients, a new Heart and Vascular Pavilion designed for patient and family comfort and introducing to the region transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), a minimally invasive approach to replacement of a narrowed aortic valve, and transcatheter MitraClip repair procedure which allows mitral regurgitation patients to be treated without invasive open heart surgery.
The Centers for Disease Control estimate that over 700,000 Americans suffer a heart attack each year. Treatment guidelines, all of which are in place at Southeast Hospital, include administering aspirin upon arrival and discharge, timely restoration of blood flow to the blocked artery, smoking cessation counseling and cardiac rehabilitation.
About SoutheastHEALTH
At SoutheastHEALTH, the region's premier healthcare system in southeast Missouri, our patients receive excellent care of the highest clinical quality, close to home. Within our network are more than 50 care locations in 13 communities, including hospitals, primary and specialty care clinics representing over 30 clinical specialties and extending care for patients in a four-state area. Learn more at SEhealth.org.
Inoperable is Not Impossible
On the Brink of Death, Skilled Cardiac Intervention Saves Bernie Woman’s Life
"We knew it would be a difficult surgery, but we had to try.” - Joyce Causey
When SoutheastHEALTH Board Certified Cardiothoracic surgeon Paul D. Robison, MD, MMM, CPE, FACS, FACC, FACCP, was seven years old, his brother, 12, died of sudden cardiac arrest. Years later, that unspeakable tragedy turned into hope for thousands of patients with critical cardiac and vascular issues.
"After we lost Mark, I never wanted to be anything other than a cardiothoracic surgeon," Dr. Robison says. And for that Joyce Causey is eternally grateful. Joyce, one of the legion of patients whose life has been saved by Dr. Robison, had been turned down for heart surgery by two metropolitan medical centers. "Her risk was deemed to be too high," he says. "They were reluctant to take on that risk. Sometimes it’s necessary to move forward without fear."
A History of Cardiac Disease
Joyce, 59, was only 30 when she began feeling like her heart was skipping beats. She was, her doctor told her, "too young to have heart disease." Dr. Robison is quick to debunk that theory. "Anyone, at any age, can have heart disease. I’ve operated on patients as young as a newborn weighing less than a pound and I’ve been on a heart transplant team for a 19-year-old patient."
Over the years, Joyce continued to experience cardiac problems. She continued working as a registered nurse, eventually moving from Nashville, TN, to Bernie, MO, where her husband Rusty and his cousin farm acres of cotton and beans, southeast Missouri staples. Joyce’s medical problems continued to mount. She successfully battled rectal cancer and recovered from a fall that resulted in spinal stenosis that required neck surgery.
She ultimately underwent complete pericardial stripping via median sternotomy in 2015. During the procedure, a portion or all of the pericardium is removed. The pericardium is a double-walled membrane sac that surrounds the heart. When performing properly, there is a small amount of fluid that lubricates the heart during its normal pumping movements within the pericardium. She also underwent placement of a right coronary artery stent. For a while, things were better, Joyce says.
In November 2018, the Causeys' world came crashing down when Joyce suffered life-threatening flash pulmonary edema, a condition caused by excess fluid in the lungs that, in most cases, is related to heart problems. "I was struggling to breathe, literally wheezing and gasping for breath." Rusty rushed Joyce to nearby Southeast Health Center of Stoddard County in Dexter where, after initial stabilization, she was taken to Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau.
'She Was Dying'
After an emergency cardiac catheterization performed by Board Certified SoutheastHEALTH Cardiologist David Law, MD, Joyce was referred to Dr. Robison.
"She was dying. Mrs. Causey had critical coronary disease. Heart failure and a blocked left main coronary artery caused edema in her lungs. She also had restenosis from previous stents, a leaky aortic valve, a leaky mitral valve, a leaky tricuspid valve and pulmonary hypertension. She had to have heart surgery to save her life."- Dr. Paul Robison
"Dr. Robison told us that inoperable is not impossible," Joyce recalls. Her husband adds that "Dr. Robison was forthcoming and explained everything. He tells it to you like it is. We knew it would be a difficult surgery, but we had to try."
Fortunately for the Causeys, Dr. Robison is one of handful of cardiothoracic surgeons in this region of the country trained to perform multi-valve, complex heart reconstruction. His areas of expertise number more than 40 and include some of the most challenging surgical procedures in the Midwest. He also is Assistant Professor of Clinical Surgery, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis.
Joyce's surgery resulted in aortic and mitral valve replacements, tricuspid valve repair and three bypasses. She also underwent an emergency fiberoptic bronchoscopy right after surgery to remove fluid from her lungs which, Dr. Robison says, “were not light and fluffy like they should be, but heavy, almost like liver. It took two weeks to completely clear fluid out of her lungs.”
Rusty sat by Joyce's bedside and never left, Dr. Robison notes. "He had a clear understanding of what was going on and was well aware of her struggle. Family support like Mr. Causey’s is crucial to a good and lasting outcome."
Joyce’s heart had been sick for over 20 years, Dr. Robison says. "She is slowly recovering her health. It will take a while, but her prognosis is good. Mrs. Causey's future is largely now in her hands with healthy lifestyle choices, cardiac rehab and exercise."
On the Road to Recovery
Joyce Causey coming from the brink of death back to a life she enjoys living is amazing, Joyce adds. A cardiac echo done at the end of February with Dr. Law showed all three valves working perfectly, normal ventricular size and function, a normal sinus rhythm and a normal EKG. "From my point of view it doesn’t get better than normal," Dr. Robison observes.
Joyce is continuing cardiac rehab at Southeast Health of Stoddard County. "Mrs. Causey is making great improvements," says Jamie Walls-Williams, RN, BSN. "When she started she was only able to exercise a total of four minutes on four different machines. She has now built up endurance and is doing eight minutes on four machines. She is well on her way to regaining her strength and stamina. I have full confidence that Joyce will be walking without a cane and living a better quality of life than before surgery."
"I play it day by day," Joyce says. Life is too short to let anything bring you down." As for Dr. Robison? "He's my angel"
Thirteen SoutheastHEALTH marketing projects received statewide recognition at the recent Show Me Excellence Awards held recently in Branson, Mo.
Southeast won first place for five marketing efforts:
1. “Cancer Journey,” outdoor advertising
2. Family Cancer Risk public seminar, direct mail
3. “Mammos & a Makeover” open house at the Breast Care and Diagnostic Center, direct mail
4. Annual report video
5. “Heart Smart” campaign.
Second place honors went to Healthier Look magazine, “The Hope Edition;” “Cancer Journey” television ad; an open house showcasing the new Emergency Department and Behavioral Health Unit at Southeast Health of Stoddard County; and “Embrace the Change” public seminar, direct mail.
Third place recognition went to “AEDs Save Lives,” highlighting the work of the SoutheastHEALTH Foundation in providing these devices to community and civic groups; 2018 Employee Engagement Campaign; Power of Women expo booth and video; and a physician recruitment video.
The Show Me Excellence Awards, presented annually by the Missouri Association for Healthcare Public Relations and Marketing (MAHPRM), recognize high achievement and quality in advertising, marketing and public relations projects produced by hospitals and healthcare systems throughout the state. A statewide panel of public relations and marketing professionals judged the 147 entries in this year’s competition.
The awards competition was established by MAHPRM in 1981 and is the only Missouri competition dedicated to hospital and healthcare public relations and communications efforts. With 22 categories, the competition includes projects in media relations, advertising, publications, writing, photography, marketing and public relations.
About SoutheastHEALTH
At SoutheastHEALTH, the region's premier healthcare system in southeast Missouri, our patients receive excellent care of the highest clinical quality, close to home. Within our network are more than 50 care locations in 13 communities, including hospitals, primary and specialty care clinics representing over 30 clinical specialties and extending care for patients in a four-state area. Learn more at SEhealth.org.
