SAINT FRANCIS ADDS NURSE PRACTITIONER TO 

EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT

Saint Francis Medical Center welcomes nurse practitioner Kimberly Wilkerson, APRN, FNP-BC, to the emergency department. She joins 15 other emergency providers in Saint Francis’ Emergency and Trauma Center, the region’s only state-designated Level III Trauma Center. 

She earned her Master of Science in nursing from Maryville University in St. Louis, Missouri and is Board Certification from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. 

Nurse practitioners are nurses who have undergone advanced training and are able to diagnose and treat illnesses and injuries, order lab work and imaging tests, and write prescriptions. They can manage many health conditions, teach health promotion and help patients with disease prevention.

Saint Francis Healthcare System is guided by our mission to provide a ministry of healing, wellness, quality and love inspired by our faith in Jesus Christ. Founded by Franciscan Sisters in 1875, our priority remains the same: serve all who enter with dignity, compassion and joy. Serving nearly 713,000 people across Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee and Arkansas, our focus is on patients' outcomes, experience and value.

Anchored by Saint Francis Medical Center, a 306-bed tertiary hospital, and supported by nearly 3,000 employees and more than 250 providers in eight communities, the Healthcare System is a driving economic force in the region. Major services include the Cancer Institute, Emergency and Level III Trauma Center, Family BirthPlace and the region's only Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Heart Hospital, Neurosciences and Orthopedics.

Cape Girardeau, Missouri - Saint Francis Healthcare System proudly welcomes board-certified gastroenterologist Ronald M. Angles, DO, as a Saint Francis Medical Partner. Angles’ is proficient in adult gastroenterology and hepatology. He joins the expert team at Cape Gastroenterology Specialists. 

Together, they provide the region with expert care for gastrointestinal conditions, including abdominal pain, biliary disorders, Crohn’s disease, gastrointestinal bleeding, gastroesophageal reflux, liver disorders, pancreatic disease, peptic ulcer disease, ulcerative colitis and other digestive disorders. 

Angles earned his medical degree at Nova Southeastern University of the Health Sciences in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. He completed an internship, residency and gastroenterology fellowship at Genesys Regional Medical Center in Grand Blanc, Michigan. 

For more information or to schedule an appointment, please visit www.sfmc.net. 

Saint Francis Healthcare System is guided by our mission to provide a ministry of healing, wellness, quality and love inspired by our faith in Jesus Christ. Founded by Franciscan Sisters in 1875, our priority remains the same: serve all who enter with dignity, compassion and joy. Serving nearly 713,000 people across Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee and Arkansas, our focus is on patients' outcomes, experience and value.

Anchored by Saint Francis Medical Center, a 306-bed tertiary hospital, and supported by nearly 3,000 employees and more than 250 providers in eight communities, the Healthcare System is a driving economic force in the region. Major services include the Cancer Institute, Emergency and Level III Trauma Center, Family BirthPlace and the region's only Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Heart Hospital, Neurosciences and Orthopedics.

I was recently at a health fair and the Aging Matters booth was next to the Cape County Health Department booth. They were giving flu shots and people were lining up. Already we are in flu season, I thought the last flu season just ended. 

For many people the flu is only a minor inconvenience; some coughing, sneezing, body aches for a bit and they move on. For some, particularly seniors the flu can be much worse.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention it is estimated that between about 70 percent and 85 percent of seasonal flu-related deaths have occurred in people 65 years and older and between 54 percent and 70 percent of seasonal flu-related hospitalizations have occurred among people in that age group. Influenza is often quite serious for people 65 and older. The best protection from the flu is the flu shot. It is quick, relatively painless and Medicare Part B covers the cost at 100%. Getting a flu vaccine also protects those around you.

Other ways to protect yourself from the flu include washing your hands often, try to avoid sick people, avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth and everyone cover your nose and mouth when you sneeze or cough. Even with all the precautions if you begin showing symptoms of the flu, go see your doctor!

Another vaccine that is important for seniors to get is the pneumococcal vaccine. Speaking from personal experience, pneumonia is awful. The pneumococcal vaccine not only protects against pneumonia, but also meningitis, bronchitis and a bloodstream infection called bacteremia among other infections. This shot is usually administered only once to those 65 and older and Medicare Part B usually pays 100% of the costs. 

Finally, the shingles vaccine; anyone who had chickenpox is at risk of getting shingles. If you know someone who had shingles, you know how painful they can be. Shingles cause painful blisters that usually crust over in 7-10 days. The pain and discomfort of shingles is extreme for most people. There are two types of shingles vaccines and you need to speak with your doctor to see which is best for you. Medicare Part D covers the vaccine so cost will vary by plan.

Now you must know that I am not a doctor and every situation is different. Please speak with your doctor to determine what vaccine is right for you and when is the best time to get them.

An ounce of prevention in this case is really worth a pound of cure. Your health is something that needs protected and vaccines can help. 

For questions on what Medicare will cover, please call Aging Matters 573-335-3331 or 800-392-8771.

Saint Francis Healthcare System proudly welcomes board-certified gastroenterologist Thomas E. Kelly, MD, as a Saint Francis Medical Partner. He joins the expert team at Cape Gastroenterology Specialists. Kelly specializes in advance endoscopy. 

Together, they will provide the region with expert care for gastrointestinal conditions, including abdominal pain, biliary disorders, Crohn’s disease, gastrointestinal bleeding, gastroesophageal reflux, liver disorders, pancreatic disease, peptic ulcer disease, ulcerative colitis and other digestive disorders. 

Kelly earned his medical degree at Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. He completed an internship and residency at Los Angeles County and University of Southern California Medical Center and a gastroenterology fellowship at Virginia Tech Carilion Clinic in Roanoke, Virginia.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, please visit www.sfmc.net. 

Saint Francis Healthcare System is guided by our mission to provide a ministry of healing, wellness, quality and love inspired by our faith in Jesus Christ. Founded by Franciscan Sisters in 1875, our priority remains the same: serve all who enter with dignity, compassion and joy. Serving nearly 713,000 people across Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee and Arkansas, our focus is on patients' outcomes, experience and value.

Anchored by Saint Francis Medical Center, a 308-bed tertiary hospital, and supported by nearly 2,800 employees and more than 250 providers in eight communities, the Healthcare System is a driving economic force in the region. Major services include the Cancer Institute, Emergency and Level III Trauma Center, Family BirthPlace and the region's only Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Heart Hospital, Neurosciences and Orthopedics.

The Three Rivers College Board of Trustees has appointed Dr. Tim Hager of Van Buren to fill the vacancy created with the passing of Randy Grassham. The appointment was confirmed at the Board of Trustees meeting in September. Hager will serve as the trustee for Sub-District Two until April 2020, when an election will be held to fill the remainder of Grassham’s term.

 “I’m honored to be selected as a trustee for Three Rivers. I’m looking forward to working with Dr. Payne and the other members of the board,” said Hager. “Three Rivers plays a vital role in our community, and I hope my participation on the board will assist the College in continuing to fulfill its mission.”

“Randy Grassham was a valued member of the Board of Trustees since 2009, when he was appointed to fill the term of his father, James Grassham, who had been a Board Member since 1982,” said Dr. Wesley Payne, President of Three Rivers College. “We’re fortunate to live in a community with highly qualified people who were willing to step into Mr. Grassham’s role in representing the people of Sub-District Two. I’m confident Dr. Hager will do an excellent job serving the College and his district.”

After 30 years in public education, Hager recently retired as Superintendent of the Iron County C-4 School District. Hager also spent 25 years as an adjunct professor of Public Speaking for Three Rivers College. He is an alumni of Three Rivers, along with his wife, Lana, and daughter, Brittany, who was an Academic All-American Softball player. His daughter, Macy, is currently a freshman at Three Rivers.

Three Rivers College is committed to contributing to the quality of life in Southeast Missouri with quality, affordable higher education opportunities and community services that support and encourage the economic, civic, and cultural vitality of the region. For more information about college and workforce programs and upcoming events, visit trcc.edu.

 

 

Pictured: Dr. Tim Hager has been appointed to a seat on the Three Rivers College Board of Trustees. Hager will serve as the trustee for Sub-District Two until April 2020, when an election will be held to fill the remainder of the late Randy Grassham’s term.