SoutheastHEALTH Foundation has announced recipients of healthcare scholarships made possible by the Foundation and the generosity of individual and family donors. Twenty-seven students received $32,500 in scholarship awards at an event held recently at the Jackson Civic Center.
Dr. Steven Langdon, President, Southeast Hospital College of Nursing and Health Sciences, addressed the group. Dr. Karen Crites Hendrickson, EdD, RN, NEA-BC, served as Master of Ceremonies, and scholarship certificates were presented by Gina Leath, Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer at SoutheastHEALTH, and Darah Jirkovsky, Executive Director, SoutheastHEALTH Foundation.
Jirkovsky said, “Because of the generosity of donors, our scholarship recipients are working to enter a field dedicated to helping others, which is more important now than ever before. These programs make a difference to patients and the communities we serve, as scholars meet their academic goals and enter the healthcare workforce.”
Since 1962, the SoutheastHEALTH Foundation has awarded over $1.1 Million to local scholars. These funds have supported the education of over 1,300 current and future healthcare workers for our region.
This year’s recipients include:
Enrolled in SoutheastHEALTH College of Nursing and Health Sciences programs:
Kolbe Asmus, Tom Welch Radiography Scholarship
Mallory Cook, O.D. Niswonger Scholarship
Addison Curtis, James W. Wente Scholarship
Carly Gotto, Dorothy Kies Penzel Scholarship
Hope Hartman, Ronald James Schwent Nursing Scholarship
Alexys Littlepage, Jean Chapman, MD, Scholarship
Tina Medlock, Sheila Caskey, PhD, Scholarship
Mary Stewart, Karen Crites Hendrickson, EdD, RN, NEA-BC Scholarship
Audrea Tellor, Karen Crites Hendrickson, EdD, RN, NEA-BC Scholarship
Ashley Winkler, L.P. Maxwell, MD, Scholarship
Arkansas State University
Austin Bucher, Ilena Aslin Scholarship
Southeast Missouri State University
Amber Dukes, Karen Crites Henderickson, EdD, RN, NEA-BC Scholarship
Ashley Elkins, Balsamo Family Scholarship
Megan R. Te, William and Martina Scott Scholarship
St. Louis Community College
Bethany Dorris, Elda Haertling Scholarship
St. Louis University
Debra Compton, SoutheastHEALTH Foundation Scholarship
Mia Foote, Nancy Ann Bray Scholarship
James T. Waltz, Margaret Foster Roberts Scholarship
Southwest Baptist University
Brendan Gross, Margaret Foster Roberts Scholarship
Western Governors University
Martha Cissell, Polly DuVal Kinder Scholarship
Three Rivers College
Kaylee Ball, Hutson Family Scholarship
William Brewer, Charlotte Black Sargent Scholarship
Murray State University
Allyson Johnson, Hazel Harrison Strickler Scholarship
US Bank Foundation Giving Program-Grant
Southeast Hospital College of Nursing and Health Sciences
Elizabeth David
Aimee Linares
Central Methodist University
Tracy Lewis
Southeast Missouri State University
Matthew Obasanjo
About SoutheastHEALTH Foundation
SoutheastHEALTH Foundation, Inc. was organized in 1977 as an independent 501 (c)3 nonprofit entity to ensure the future of healthcare in our region. The Foundation’s Board of Directors is made up of individuals and volunteers from all segments of our service area. The Board oversees fund-raising projects and manages the allocation of funds in an effort to enhance service to our community.
Southeast Hospital has received the American Heart Association’s 2022 Get With The Guidelines Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award for its commitment to improving outcomes for patients who suffer strokes. The award validates Southeast’s approach to stroke treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines, which ultimately leads to more lives saved and reduced disability.
Stroke is the number five cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the U.S. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts. When that happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood and oxygen it needs, so brain cells die. Early stroke detection and treatment are key to improving survival, accelerating recovery times and minimizing disability.
Get With The Guidelines puts the expertise of the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association to work for hospitals nationwide, helping ensure patient care is aligned with the latest research and evidence-based guidelines.
“Seeking immediate medical help is crucial for stroke patients,” said Matthew Hileman, DO, Medical Director of the Southeast Stroke Center. “Stroke is a real and serious concern in Missouri. About one quarter of adult Missourians are smokers, which can raise their risk for stroke up to four times.” He added that up to 80 percent of strokes are preventable if people embrace a healthy lifestyle that includes quitting tobacco, managing cholesterol and controlling high blood pressure and diabetes. Hileman also noted that about one quarter of strokes happen in people under the age of 65.
He emphasized that the primary therapies to minimize stroke symptoms and offer a better chance of recovery must be given within a few hours of symptom onset. “That’s why it is so important to call 9-1-1 or get to the nearest emergency department quickly. Don’t wait a few hours to see if symptoms go away. Get medical help immediately.”
“We are incredibly pleased to recognize Southeast Hospital for its commitment to caring for patients with stroke,” said Steven Messe, MD, chairperson of the Stroke System of Care Advisory Group. “Participation in Get With The Guidelines is associated with improved patient outcomes, fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates, a win for healthcare systems, families and communities.”
Southeast Hospital also received the American Heart Association’s Target: Stroke Honor Roll. This distinction is based on meeting specific criteria to reduce the time between an eligible patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment with the clot-buster Alteplase. If given in the first three hours after the start of stroke symptoms, Alteplase has been shown to lessen the chance of permanent disability.
In addition, Southeast Hospital also received the American Heart Association’s Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll. This initiative helps ensure that patients with Type 2 diabetes, who may be at higher risk for complications, receive the most up-to-date, evidence-based care when hospitalized due to stroke.
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 51 care locations in 11 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.
Cape Girardeau, MO – Southeast Hospital has received the American College of Cardiology’s NCDR Chest Pain – MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award for 2022. Southeast is one of only 240 hospitals nationwide to receive the honor. This is the eleventh consecutive year that Southeast Hospital has been recognized for its high standard of care for heart attack patients.
The award recognizes Southeast’s commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of care for heart attack patients and also signifies that Southeast Hospital has reached an aggressive goal of treating these patients with standard levels of care as outlined by the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association clinical guidelines and recommendations.
“To be a recipient of this award for eleven consecutive years speaks to the consistency in care protocols and the commitment of the entire heart team to deliver excellence in patient outcomes,” said SoutheastHEALTH Vice President and Chief Medical Officer Matt Janzow. “The foundation of care at Southeast Hospital is built on quality, and this award affirms our position as a national leader in setting, and meeting, stringent standards of care for heart attack patients.”
Michael Kontos, MD, FACC, chair of the NCDR Chest Pain – MI Registry Steering Subcommittee, and cardiologist at Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center, added, “It is an honor to award Southeast Hospital with the Platinum Performance Award for their leadership and dedication to meeting comprehensive performance measures in patient care. This award indicates that Southeast Hospital remains committed to providing top quality, guideline-driven care for heart attack patients and ensures that patients are receiving the highest quality cardiovascular care.”
The Centers for Disease Control estimates that over 800,000 Americans suffer a heart attack each year. Treatment guidelines include administering aspirin upon arrival and discharge, timely restoration of blood flow to the blocked artery, smoking cessation counseling and cardiac rehabilitation, among others.
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 51 care locations in 11 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.
Cape Girardeau, MO - Southeast Hospital has received the American Heart Association’s 2022 Get With The Guidelines Heart Failure Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award for its commitment to improving outcomes for patients with heart failure, meaning reduced readmissions and more healthy days at home.
About 6.2 million U.S. adults are living with heart failure, which means that the heart is having a hard time pumping blood and oxygen throughout the body. While there is no cure for heart failure, people can live a quality life by working with their healthcare team to create a plan that may include medication, symptom monitoring and lifestyle changes. Among those lifestyle changes is maintaining a healthy weight. Through the Southeast Foundation Ambassadors’ Heart Strong program, heart failure patients who need a scale are provided with one free of charge.
The Get With The Guidelines – Heart Failure quality achievement award is earned by hospitals that demonstrate a commitment to treating patients according to the most current guidelines as outlined by the American Heart Association. Matt Janzow, MD, SoutheastHEALTH Vice President and Chief Medical Officer said, “Patient care is our number one priority. The Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award is another example of the national recognition given to Southeast and its outstanding cardiovascular care team for the exceptional care we provide to our patients. We are fortunate to have an expert team of physicians, nurses and support staff who are highly trained and who welcome opportunities to continually advance care of the hundreds of heart failure patients we treat every year.”
Clyde W. Yancy, MD, national chairperson of the American Heart Association Heart Failure systems of care advisory group and chief, division of cardiology at Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, said hospitals that participate in the Get With The Guidelines quality improvement outcomes “often see better patient outcomes, fewer readmissions to the hospital and lower mortality rates – a win for healthcare systems, families and communities.”
Southeast Hospital is also recognized on the American Heart Association’s Target: Heart Failure Honor Roll Award. Hospitals on the Honor Roll meet specific criteria that improves medication adherence, provides early follow-up care and coordination and enhances patient education. The goal is to reduce hospital readmissions and improve patients’ quality of life while managing this chronic condition.
Southeast Hospital additionally received the American Heart Association’s Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll Award. This initiative helps to ensure patients with Type 2 diabetes, who might be a higher risk for complications, receive the most up-to-date, evidence-based care when hospitalized due to heart disease or stroke.
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 51 care locations in 11 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.
SoutheastHEALTH July 2022 Health Briefs
Be a Healthier You in 2022!
Small changes can make BIG improvements to your overall health and wellness. It’s not too late to join our Healthier You in 2022 Challenge! Visit SEhealth.org/challenge. Our challenge this month is quitting smoking, vaping and tobacco use. Smoking increases the risk of heart disease and stroke by two to four times. It also increases your chances of developing lung cancer. The challenge in July will be to complete a short quiz to test your knowledge of smoking/vaping. For completing the quiz, you will be entered into a drawing for one of the following prizes:
$50 Visa Gift Card
Bean bag yard game.
Do something for yourself in 2022 to help stay healthier this year and in the years to come.
Vascular Screenings
You may be at risk of a preventable, life threatening condition and not know it. Find out through vascular screenings that take as little as 15 minutes. Screenings include carotid artery (for stroke prevention), abdominal aorta test (for aneurysm prevention) and peripheral artery test (for prevention of peripheral artery disease). All three of these tests cost $110. A bone density test to identify those at risk for osteoporosis is also available for $30. Screenings are Wednesday, July 6, noon to 5 p.m., HealthPoint Fitness in Jackson; Thursday, July 7, noon to 4 p.m., Clinton Building in Sikeston; and Friday, July 8, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., HealthPoint Fitness in Cape. To schedule an appointment, call 1-800-800-5123.
Weight Management First Steps
Join us for this free, informative seminar as we discuss strategies for beginning the process of health improvement and weight management on Monday, July 11, at 6 p.m., and Thursday, July 21, at 2 p.m., at HealthPoint Plaza, 2126 Independence in Cape. Are you just beginning your fitness journey? Or perhaps picking back up where you left off? Learn how nutrition, physical activity and behavior modification can help you get going in the right direction. Class size is limited. Register online at SEhealth.org/Events or by calling (573)986-4440.
Heart Saver CPR Certification Class
This is an instructor-led course that teaches adult and child CPR and AED use, infant CPR, and how to relieve choking in adults, children and infants. It will be held on Monday, July 11, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at HealthPoint Fitness in Cape. This course teaches skills with the American Heart Association’s research-proven practice-while-watching technique, which allows instructors to observe the students, provide feedback, and guide the students’ learning skills. The course is for anyone with limited or no medical training who needs a course completion card for CPR and AED use to meet job, regulatory or other requirements. This class is not for healthcare providers seeking a BLS class. Cost of the class is $50 and includes a booklet. Participants can reserve a spot by calling or stopping by the front desk of HealthPoint Cape or HealthPoint Jackson. For more information, call 573-755-2301 or 573-986-4400.
Diabetes Self-Management Support Group
Southeast Diabetes Center hosts this free support group facilitated by Southeast’s Diabetes Educators. The programs are geared toward people who are living with diabetes and trying to control blood glucose. Friends and family members are also welcome. The meeting will be from 1 to 2 p.m. on Tuesday, July 12, at HealthPoint Plaza in Cape. This month’s topic is “Understanding Alzheimer’s and Dementia.” Participants will learn the difference between Alzheimer’s and dementia along with the impact, stages and risk factors of Alzheimer’s. A staff member from the Alzheimer’s Association will be the guest speaker and will discuss current research and treatment available to address symptoms of these two conditions. To register, call the Southeast Diabetes Center at 339-0121 to take advantage of this program.
Healthy Cooking: Air Fryer Essentials
Join us on Monday, July 18, to learn how to make delicious and healthy air-fried meals, no matter your culinary skill level. Healthy Cooking classes at HealthPoint Fitness – Cape are taught by HealthPoint Nutritional Services Coordinator Laura Vollink, RD, LD. Cost is $5 for HealthPoint members and non-members. Class sizes are limited. To register, call (573)986-4440.
Grief Support Group: Secondary Losses
The SoutheastHEALTH Grief Support Group will meet from 1:30-3 p.m. on Wednesday, July 20, at HealthPoint Fitness in Cape. Topic for this month’s meeting, led by Julie Metgzer, LCSW, a bereavement counselor with Southeast Hospice, is “Secondary Losses.” For more information about this support group, please call Southeast Hospice, 573-335-6208.
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 14 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.
