Mercy Hospital Southeast Receives National Recognition for Commitment to Quality Heart Attack Care
The American Heart Association recognized Mercy Hospital Southeast with its Get with the Guidelines® – Coronary Artery Disease STEMI Receiving Center Gold Plus award. This recognition highlights Mercy Hospital Southeast’s commitment to offering rapid, research-based care to people experiencing a specific type of heart attack known as an ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), known to be more severe and dangerous than other types of heart attacks.
Each year, about 285,000 people in the U.S. experience this type of heart attack, caused by a complete blockage in a coronary artery. Nearly 40% of people who seek emergency treatment with acute coronary syndrome are diagnosed with a STEMI. Like all heart attacks, it requires timely treatment to restore blood flow as quickly as possible.
“We are honored to be recognized for this distinguished award once again,” said Kristi Mueller, Mercy Southeast’s STEMI program coordinator. “Our team is committed to making cardiovascular treatment a priority and ensuring quality care is provided to our patients. We continue to strive for excellence in the services we provide our patients and their families.”
Recognition as a STEMI Receiving Center is designed to showcase hospitals that provide 24/7 support for STEMI patients and demonstrate a commitment to treating patients according to the most up-to-date research-based guidelines for STEMI care as outlined by the American Heart Association. These important facilities coordinate with a network of referring hospitals and emergency medical services to provide guideline-directed STEMI and non-STEMI care.
Mercy Hospital Southeast also received the American Heart Association’s Target: Type 2 Diabetes™ Honor Roll award. Target: Type 2 Diabetes aims to ensure patients with Type 2 diabetes, who might be at higher risk for complications, receive the most up-to-date, evidence-based care when hospitalized due to heart attack.
Mercy, one of the 20 largest U.S. health systems and named the top large system in the U.S. for excellent patient experience by NRC Health, serves millions annually with nationally recognized quality care and one of the nation’s largest Accountable Care Organizations. Mercy is a highly integrated, multi-state health care system including more than 50 acute care and specialty (heart, children’s, orthopedic and rehab) hospitals, convenient and urgent care locations, imaging centers and pharmacies. Mercy has over 900 physician practice locations and outpatient facilities, more than 4,500 physicians and advanced practitioners and more than 47,000 co-workers serving patients and families across Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. Mercy also has clinics, outpatient services and outreach ministries in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.
Anna Lopez Brings Her Health Care and Leadership Experience to Mercy Southeast Team
Anna Lopez started her career in health care as a frontline caregiver serving as a radiology tech. Over the next 28 years, she dedicated herself to one nonprofit health care system and worked her way up to chief operating officer. Now Lopez brings her vast experience to Southeast Missouri as the new chief operating officer for Mercy Southeast.
“I’m thrilled to be joining both Mercy and the Southeast Missouri community,” Lopez said. “I see so much opportunity to grow the care we provide here. And I’m looking forward to serving this community in a way that fulfills the legacy and carries out the mission established by the Sisters of Mercy.”
Prior to joining Mercy, Lopez served with Methodist Le Bonheur Health System. She has 14 years of leadership experience, including the last five years as the chief operating officer of Methodist Le Bonheur’s hospital in Germantown, Tennessee.
Lopez and her husband, Jose, have four children, three sons and a daughter. They enjoy spending time together, whether it’s at the soccer fields watching one of their boys play or enjoying college football games.
“Cape is a beautiful area. I’m excited to get to know the area and get involved in the community,” Lopez added.
Lopez earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from Union University in Jackson, Tennessee, and a Bachelor of Radiologic Science Administration degree from Saint Joseph’s College of Maine in Standish.
Mercy, one of the 20 largest U.S. health systems and named the top large system in the U.S. for excellent patient experience by NRC Health, serves millions annually with nationally recognized quality care and one of the nation’s largest Accountable Care Organizations. Mercy is a highly integrated, multi-state health care system including more than 50 acute care and specialty (heart, children’s, orthopedic and rehab) hospitals, convenient and urgent care locations, imaging centers and pharmacies. Mercy has over 900 physician practice locations and outpatient facilities, more than 4,500 physicians and advanced practitioners and more than 47,000 co-workers serving patients and families across Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. Mercy also has clinics, outpatient services and outreach ministries in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.
Mercy Southeast welcomes a new cardiologist, Raphael Ngengwe, MD, who will be serving the Cape Girardeau community. Dr. Ngengwe specializes in cardiac electrophysiology.
As an electrophysiologist, Dr. Ngengwe treats issues related to the heart’s electrical system, which controls the rhythm of the heart. Examples of these conditions include atrial fibrillation, ventricular fibrillation, atrial flutter and more. Dr. Ngengwe will be seeing patients at Mercy Clinic Heart and Vascular – Broadview.
“My philosophy of care is that what I do is more than a job or a career. It is a calling. A calling to help, heal and serve with the knowledge I was blessed to learn,” Dr. Ngengwe said. “I do not take this blessing for granted. ‘Voca’ in Latin means ‘to call’. I believe all I have achieved and all I have accomplished have been a calling to serve patients in what is my new home, Cape Girardeau.”
Dr. Ngengwe earned his medical degree at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine. He is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in clinical cardiac electrophysiology, cardiovascular medicine and internal medicine. Dr. Ngengwe most recently served as an electrophysiologist with St. Bernard’s Heart and Vascular in Jonesboro, Arkansas.
Dr. Ngengwe joins the Mercy Clinic Heart and Vascular team that includes every cardiologist who previously served SoutheastHEALTLH. They have finalized their agreements to continue serving patients as Mercy physicians.
“We are extremely pleased to officially welcome the highly regarded team at Mercy Clinic Heart and Vascular,” said Dr. Naresh Agarwal, chief medical officer for Mercy Southeast. “Our team of cardiology specialists will continue to provide exceptional heart care for patients in southeast Missouri as we further Mercy’s mission of healing.”
The board-certified team at Mercy Heart and Vascular includes cardiologists Bryan Beck, MD; Steven Carr, MD; Ali Farooq, MD; Chizor Iwuchukwu, MD; David Law, MD; and Munis Raza, MD. Working alongside these physicians are nurse practitioners Jena Scholl, APRN; Morgan Siemer, APRN; and Dawn Walston, APRN.
Mercy, one of the 20 largest U.S. health systems and named the top large system in the U.S. for excellent patient experience by NRC Health, serves millions annually with nationally recognized care and one of the nation’s largest and highest performing Accountable Care Organizations in quality and cost. Mercy is a highly integrated, multi-state health care system including more than 50 acute care and specialty (heart, children’s, orthopedic and rehab) hospitals, convenient and urgent care locations, imaging centers and pharmacies. Mercy has over 900 physician practice locations and outpatient facilities, more than 4,500 physicians and advanced practitioners and 50,000 co-workers serving patients and families across Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. Mercy also has clinics, outpatient services and outreach ministries in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. In fiscal year 2023 alone, Mercy provided more than half a billion dollars of free care and other community benefits, including traditional charity care and unreimbursed Medicaid.
Administrator, Mercy Hospital Stoddard
Sue Ann Williams serves as administrator of Mercy Hospital Stoddard. She joined SoutheastHEALTH in 2013, most recently serving as chief executive officer of SoutheastHEALTH Health Center of Stoddard County in Dexter, Missouri. With more than 30 years of health care experience, she has served in many administrative roles in the region.
Education and Credentials
Williams is a past president of the Missouri Hospital Association, SoutheastHEALTH District Council. She is a certified medical practice executive and her professional affiliations include serving as a member of the Regional Healthcare Foundation and the Stoddard County Health Care Coalition.
SoutheastHEALTH December 2023 Health Briefs
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 Thursday, December 7, from 6 to 8 p.m. at HealthPoint Fitness in Jackson. 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, December 12, at HealthPoint Plaza in Cape. This month, the program will be a “Winter Celebration.” Come ready to enjoy refreshments and fun, festive activities. To register, call the Southeast Diabetes Center at 573-339-0121.
Tobacco Cessation Programs
Creating a quit-tobacco plan may improve your chances of stopping for good. Having a plan helps prepare you for coping with the physical and emotional issues that often happen when you stop using tobacco, such as nicotine withdrawal and strong urges. Free Tobacco Cessation Classes will be held at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, December 13, in the Board Room at Southeast Health Center of Stoddard County. Reserve a space by calling 1-800-800-5123.
Grief Support Group: ‘Grief Rituals’
The SoutheastHEALTH Grief Support Group will meet from 1:30-3 p.m. on Wednesday, December 20, at HealthPoint Fitness in Cape. Topic for this month’s meeting is “Grief Rituals.” For more information about this support group, call Southeast Hospice, 573-335-6208.
About SoutheastHEALTH
At SoutheastHEALTH, the region's premier healthcare system in southeast Missouri, patients receive excellent care of the highest clinical quality, close to home. Within the SoutheastHEALTH network are 48 care locations in 11 communities, including hospitals, primary and specialty care clinics representing 52 clinical specialties and extending care for patients in a four-state area. Learn more at SEhealth.org.
