The Medical Leader

By MARY MEADOWS
Staff Writer

PIKEVILLE - A program that’s helping food assistance for Pike County residents affected by the July 17 flooding has expanded this week to cover more people.

The Disaster Supplement Nutrition Program (SNAP), operated through the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, is providing additional resources for the purchase of food for people who previously had food stamp benefits and people who previously didn’t qualify for food stamp benefits.

The program was initially opened to people living or working in areas with zip codes 41501, 41502, 41522, 41539 and 41557. It has now been expanded to also help people living or working in areas with zip codes 41557, 41559, 41562, 41513 and 41540.

People living in these 10 areas are eligible to receive maximum food stamp benefits for their households if they suffered losses in the flood. Qualifying individuals include people who experienced property damage or loss, people who had losses because their employer was flooded and people who lost food because their electricity was out. It also provides the replacement of food stamps for flood victims who lost their EBT cards and/or food during the flood.

Officials with the Cabinet for Health and Family Services and the Division of Protection and Permanency set up at the Pikeville College gym to provide immediate food stamp benefits on Aug. 4-6.

Assistance will be available at the gym until 6 p.m. on Aug. 6. Sandy Valley Transportation (800-444-RIDE) is providing free transportation to the event for flood victims. Other agencies are also providing clothing, cleaning supplies and other necessities to flood victims. Cooperating agencies include: the Big Sandy Housing Authority, Big Sandy Community Action Program, SouthEast Telephone (offering discounts on services), the Pike County Health Department and other groups.

The assistance will also be provided during the Flood Relief for Kids event at the Eastern Kentucky Expo Center between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Aug. 7. Flood victims may also apply at the Department for Community Based Services office, located on 295 Hambley Blvd. from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Aug. 7; and from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Aug. 9-11.

Jennifer Adkins, Service Region Administrator Associate for the agency, said that, as of Friday morning, officials issued $76,000 in food stamps to qualifying residents.

The federally-funded program was made available after Adkins and her supervisor Susan Howard realized the need when they toured flooded areas of Pike County and spoke to residents staying at Red Cross’ emergency homeless shelter.

“The flood affected what we call the working poor and the workers who fall between the cracks, the people who were never on the welfare rolls,” Adkins said. “We discovered that a lot of people affected never had received any type of benefits. They were living on the money they were making.”

She and Howard requested the assistance from Frankfort. Officials there sought federal approval to implement the program. Adkins said it is the second time since the 1990s that the program was made available in Pike County after a disaster. It is the first time that qualifying recipients walk out of the registration process with an automatically-funded EBT card, she said. Normally, recipients receive the card in the mail and activate it prior to using it, she said.

The federal funded-program also allows retailers to accept food benefits for prepared or hot foods - a service not usually provided for food benefits recipients.

Photo identification and verification of residency required. Proof of Social Security number for all household members, take-home income, accessible resources and statements regarding disaster-related expenses also requested.

For more information, call 606-433-7760.

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Donations needed

The Pike County Judge-Executive’s office reports Pike County flood survivors are still in need of the following items:

Needs of Flood Survivors
> 1st Aid Kits
> Air Conditioners
> Appliances
> Baby Wash
> Brooms
> Car Seats
> Clothes Hangers
> Coolers
> Diapers and Wipes
> Dusk Masks
> Fans
> Floor Squeegees
> Formula
> Furniture
> Gloves (Latex)
> Hand Sanitizer
> Large Storage Containers
> Mothballs
> Napkins and Paper Towels
> OFF Bug Spray
> Paper Plates
> Pet Food and Leashes
> Plastic Spoons and Forks
> Rakes
> Sheets and Blankets
> Shovels
> Sun Screen
> Tarps
> Toiletry Items
> Totes (Small)
> Trash Bags (Extra Large, Large)
> Water Hoses

All donations may be dropped off at Charity Thrift Store, located at 3690 Collins Highway in Pikeville (contact: 606-639-0389); and Thankful Hearts, located at 165 Adams Branch Road in Pikeville (contact: 606-437-6221).

By MARY MEADOWS
Staff Writer

PIKEVILLE — There was no shortage of heroes when the rains pounded Pike County on July 17.

The response to the storm has been tremendous, including people in local communities and officials at the county and state levels.

Officials report that between six and eight inches of rain fell in central portions of the county, causing the river to rise four feet in one hour — a problem that has never occurred before in Pike County. Estimates are that more than 400 homes were destroyed by the flood. Some of the hardest hit areas were Raccoon Creek, Winns Branch, Blackburn Bottom and Harless Creek.

Two deaths were attributed to the disaster. The body of Danna Walters was recovered from the Pikeville Pond, Pike County Judge-Executive Wayne T. Rutherford said, after she was swept away by the flood waters in Chloe Creek. Craig Morris of Hindman died when he fell off a bridge in Zebulon while looking to see if a family member’s house was hit by the flood.

“Our hearts and prayers go out to the families of the two people who lost their lives in this tragedy,” Gov. Steve Beshear said. “We’re probably fortunate that the flash flooding happened at dusk. If it happened at night, we would have seen a much bigger loss of life.”

Rutherford said rescue crews from Floyd, Johnson, Martin and other counties assisted in the rescue of 53 people who were stranded on top of cars and houses, in trees and in the water as the flood hit Raccoon. In all, 70 people were saved from flood waters, he said.

Beshear met with local leaders and via phone with Congressman Hal Rogers on July 19 to coordinate cleanup efforts. The Federal Emergency Management Agency, state and county officials are conducting joint evaluations of the damage this week to speed up the assistance process.

Officials with the governor’s office and the Kentucky Community Crisis Response Team provided mental health services to flood victims on site Sunday morning. Beshear and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers toured the flood-torn areas Monday.

The Kentucky National Guard also provides services. Beshear said state officials will do everything possible to help Pike County dig out of the storm’s devastation as quickly as possible. Rogers promised to work with federal officials to assist in the effort.

Beshear said the flood was the worst flash flood the county has seen because of the sheer force of the water. Homes, mobile homes, vehicles and debris were pushed downstream and destroyed by the water.

Rutherford and State Representative Leslie Combs said the scene left behind in the wake of the storm resembled the devastation caused by a tornado.

Officials in the meeting reported that the flash flood affected water service to 25,000 residences and electricity to thousands of customers. AEP officials reported Monday that power had been restored to all but 1,000 residences.

In the areas hardest hit, entire roads and water infrastructure were completely destroyed. Some areas are only accessible via all-terrain vehicles. The county and state will immediately focus on getting at least one lane open on all roads, and the task will be extremely difficult in places like Harless Creek, which now has no road.

Officials with several local and state agencies, including the county and city governments and the state transportation department, have worked around the clock to help flood victims.

And for the people affected, the help from local officials and emergency responders and local community residents and churches has been the saving grace.

Robyn Tackett, Director of the Big Sandy Area Red Cross, reported that 29 people were waiting in line for the organization’s shelter when the doors opened at Pike Central High School at 11:30 p.m. on Saturday. Approximately 50 people sought shelter there on Monday.

“We’ve got people here who don’t have a home to go back to. They’ve got a roof,” Tackett said.

The shelter can handle up to 150 people. WestCare Emergency Homeless Shelter and the Cedar Bottom Church at Kimper are also providing shelter to people and families displaced by flooding. The Pike County Health Department also opened a shelter for people with special medical needs and the Appalachian Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has offered to care for pets displaced by the storm.

Red Cross volunteers stayed at the shelter all week to ensure that the needs of all families were met. Volunteer David Lee Ingles worked at the shelter all night on Saturday and left around noon on Sunday, when he was scheduled to begin boot camp for the U.S. Marines. Another U.S. Marine, Lance Corporal Ray Slone of Elkhorn City, also provided countless hours to the cause.

“I know right now is a bad time for everybody. But we’re going to be here 24-7, no matter what, to help them,” Red Cross volunteer Amanda Presley said.

Since the shelter opened, countless people and churches have dropped off nonperishable food items, clothing and other goods. The Red Cross is now accepting donations at the Pikeville Fire Department Training Center on Chloe Road in Pikeville.

“You can’t not do it,” said Matt Barter of Coon Creek, who dropped off a box of goods at the shelter on Sunday.

His fiancée Ashton Parker said they emptied their kitchen cabinets to help flood victims.

“I’m a social work student at Pikeville College and I did some work at the homeless shelter,” she said. “The shelter is always full of people even when there aren’t disasters and there’s not enough to go around already. When a disaster hits, everybody who can should do something to help. Every little bit helps.”

The list of people helping after the storm includes churches, organizations and businesses from Pike and surrounding counties, as well as teams of volunteers who are stepping in to help their neighbors. The list even includes the East Ridge High School football team, who distributed water and other goods and shoveled mud from flood-soaked homes and properties this week.

During the height of the storm, the list of heroes included the owners and residents of the Trinity Gardens Mobile Home Park in Zebulon which was utterly destroyed in the flood. Of nearly 30 mobile homes in the park and an adjacent mobile home park owned by Steve Pinson, only one home survived unscathed. The force of the water pushed, crushed and toppled the homes across the property. The wreckage of two homes and one car were wrapped around a telephone pole on Sunday.

“Everybody got out, even down to all but two pets,” park owner Donald Thompson said. “It came up so quick. I went to help one lady out of her home and she was on dialysis. There was no water when I went in to get her. By the time I got her down the steps, she was ankle-deep in water. The last lady we helped out, we waded water up to our waist to get her out. When another boy went in to get her pets, the water was up to his chest. We thought we were going to lose him.”

But no one was lost in either mobile home park. Several cats and a few dogs fell victim to the flood in Pinson’s park.

“We ain’t got nothing left, but we’ve got our lives,” said tenant Danny Dwayne Casey. He and his father Dodge helped many people get out of their homes when the flood hit the trailer park.

“We started trying to get our stuff out and an old man asked us to help him,” Casey said. “So we quit fooling with our stuff and started helping everybody else.”

They stayed at the Red Cross shelter on Sunday with Casey’s mother Charolinda and her seven-month old daughter Mika Nicole. Charolinda said the men were her heroes.

After Thompson and several of his tenants helped rescue flood victims, he and his wife Jesse opened up their home, allowing more than 20 people to spend the night with them. “That house is a material thing. The mud from the flood will clean up,” Thompson said.

Thompson and his wife gave their clothes to flood victims, fed them and helped them cope with losing their homes. Many victims were still there Sunday. He worked alongside flood victims to help them dig out in the days following the flash flood.

It’s the second time his lots have flooded. He said he won’t rebuild.

“I’ve seen the people tortured enough,” he said. “I can’t see that no more. I hope they come in and take these people and put them on higher ground,” he said.

He and Pinson blamed the construction of U.S. 119 for flooding in the area. They said it didn’t flood there until after the construction was completed.

The same sentiment rang from Combs and State Representative Keith Hall, who toured the area on Sunday. During the meeting on Monday, they asked Beshear and Rogers to work with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to help flood victims. Many of them, Hall said, have already talked to the Corps about the flood buy-out program and were waiting on word about whether the Corps would purchase their flood-prone property when the latest storm hit.

Sen. Ray Jones noted that residents will need help getting the fair market value of their homes as they stood prior to the flood.

Rutherford urges all residents who had flood damage to document the damage with pictures and call 606-432-0210 or 606-437-4126 to report it.

The Pike Ministerial Association, Pikeville Medical Center and East Kentucky Broadcasting are working together to help Pike County flood victims.

The organizations are hosting “Flood Aid”, a radio-thon on Sunday, July 25, at 1 p.m. in the main lobby of the hospital. The live broadcast will be aired on all nine radio stations of East Kentucky Broadcasting. The goal is to raise money and supplies to help Pike Countians who were impacted by last weekend’s flash flooding.

Volunteers will man phones in the hospital’s lobby to record pledges and accept donations. All funds will be distributed by the ministerial association to help flood victims.

A truck in the hospital’s front parking lot will also be available to accept drop off donations of bleach and cleaning supplies, non perishable food items, clothing, toys and other items needed by flood victims.

“Pikeville Medical Center always answers the call of need in our community,” Pikeville Medical Center President and CEO Walter E. May said. “As a Christian organization, we are pleased to help the Pike Ministerial Association as area churches come together to respond.” Pikeville Medical Center Chaplain Randy Johnson, president of the Pike Ministerial Association, said “So many families have lost everything. While every church does what it can, when we combine our efforts and work together, along with the hospital and East Kentucky Broadcasting, the help we can provide grows exponentially.”

All donations are tax-deductible and directly benefit flood relief efforts in Pike County. To donate, call 606-437-2111 after 1:00 pm on Sunday, or bring your donation to Pikeville Medical Center’s main lobby.

Pikeville Medical Center showcased the newest and best equipped emergency department in the region with a Pike County Chamber Business After Hours event, an open house and a ribbon cutting ceremony on June 6.

The $10 million investment and 23,000 square foot addition to the hospital provides patients with a more comfortable environment, reduces time spent waiting to see a doctor, and, ultimately, saves lives.

PMC President and CEO Walter May thanked the hospital’s Board of Directors for continued support. He called the grand opening a “banner day” for PMC and the community.

“PMC’s Emergency Department is certainly one of the busiest in the state with approximately 40,000 patient visits per year,” May said. “It’s a daunting task for everyone — the doctors and the nurses and everyone who works in the department — to be ready for any type of emergency.”

PMC Chief of Staff Dr. William Gaunt also expressed his appreciation.

“It is incredible to have all the technology that Mr. May and the board of directors have made available to us so we can take excellent care of our patients,” he said.

The planning and implementation of the hospital’s newest addition took approximately three years. Louisville-based Stengel-Hill Architecture designed the new department, which was constructed by Rose Builders of Pikeville.

The new ED includes two trauma bays, three triage bays, physiological monitoring in every room and on-site digital x-rays and CT Scans. The department is now a better equipped facility, offering quicker response times, much faster access to CT scans and a quicker turnaround on lab work. The goal for PMC’s emergency department is to always provide the best care possible.

“This Emergency Department is committed to providing high quality care,” said Dr. Brandon Smallwood, the Medical Director of the Emergency Department. “In fact, our vision statement is to advance the quality of emergency health care in eastern Kentucky, and we are going to accomplish that goal as we continue to move forward. To provide the highest quality care for this area is why we are here I am really glad to be a part of PMC’s Emergency Department.”

Smallwood introduced members of the Marshall Emergency Services Associates (MESA), a group that provides physicians for the Emergency Department.

In attendance were Dr. John Mullins, Dr. Doug Smith, Dr. Brent Rody, Dr. David Minix, Dr. Anthony Keene, Physician Assistant Shelebra Bartley, Mike Kitchen and Amanda Meyer, a physician liaison, all who work in cooperation with PMC to make sure there is adequate staff to take care of the patients.

Michelle Rainey, the Nursing Director of the Emergency Department, introduced a new directive called “direct to bed mode” which allows patients to be immediately taken to beds (when available) instead of the triage area for registration.

“Our goal is quality care and we are focused on getting the patients in and out quickly,” Rainey said.

Local officials said the facility will benefit the region.

“Pikeville Medical Center means so much to this area,” said Pike County Judge Executive Wayne T. Rutherford.

“It’s the county’s largest employer. PMC is an integral part of our community. It is great that this hospital has invested 10 million dollars to improve emergency medical care. The construction projects bring a lot of jobs and money to the area, and just look at the potential for permanent jobs.”

Pike County Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Brad Hall said the new Emergency Department is a “great advantage” to the community.

“I think the medical center is one of the greatest assets we have to show prospective businesses considering a move to Pike County,” he said.

Prior to the public open house, PMC’s medical staff and employees and local emergency medical responders toured the facility.

“We have more than 1,800 employees who try to live our mission statement daily … providing quality regional healthcare in a Christian environment. These efforts really say something about our hospital and the efforts of the staff,” Interim COO Juanita Deskins said.

And who gets credit for PMC having an emergency department that is the size, the scope and the quality of this one?

“It’s the Lord God almighty,” May said. “If He doesn’t bless this institution, we don’t amount to anything.

“So many doors have opened for this hospital that this is the only explanation for our growth.”

By CAROL CASEBOLT
For the Medical Leader

PIKEVILLE — Pikeville Medical Center representatives returned from Washington, D.C., last week after serving as featured speakers at the National Conference of Service Excellence in Healthcare Organizations.

The conference, presented by the American Alliance of Healthcare Providers, provided the opportunity for hospitals across the country to collaborate on challenges facing the health care industry.

“It was a great honor to serve as a representative of the 1,700-plus Pikeville Medical Center employees at this conference,” said Terence Farrell, Vice President – Professional and Support Services. “Participants in the conference shared best-practice information and fresh ideas in creating the best in world-class health care. It was significantly beneficial because the participants were the top-ranked hospital performers and already the best of the best.”

Farrell joined PMC President and Chief Executive Operator Walter E. May, Interim Chief Operating Officer Juanita Deskins, Cheryl Hickman, Vice President - Assistant to the President/CEO, and other PMC affiliates at the conference including Pam May, Greg Donithan, Patty Thompson, Shelia Belcher, Mike Patrick, and Carol Casebolt. They arrived in Washington on Monday, May 10, for the two-day event.

The conference was open to health care organizations that applied for the National Hospital of the Year Award, which PMC earned in December 2009. Officials from PMC and the runner-up, Union Hospital in Indiana, addressed the crowd. Conference attendees also participated in intensive workshops headed by individuals from these two organizations and the American Alliance of Healthcare Providers.

“Interim Chief Operating Officer Juanita Deskins said, “The quality of our employees combined with their dedication to excellent customer service makes PMC a valuable resource for other hospitals striving to excel in the health care field.”

Conference sessions were presented in an interactive format, allowing attendees to personalize the information to fit their individual needs.

Donithan, the Director of Performance Improvement at PMC, hosted a session titled, “Achieving Service Excellence.”

“To be able to share best practices and lessons learned with top healthcare organizations and to hear them say such things as, ‘How do you do that at PMC?’ or ‘Wow! Great job!’ and ‘We are going to try that,’ — it validates that PMC is striving to continuously improve,” Donithan said.

Other presenters included Marvin Barnard, MD, who addressed “Beyond Crisis Management – Health Care Organizational Complexities,” Ronald Forbes, MD, who discussed “Principles for Achieving and Sustaining Superior Performance” and William Reidy, MSW, who talked about customer satisfaction standards in health care organizations.

“National Hospital of the Year is an honor for the hospital and the community,” said Hickman. “We have drawn attention, not just on a local level, but also nationally, for the great service that our employees provide for our patients.” She was commended by President/CEO Walter E. May for spearheading the application process for PMC’s National Hospital of the Year award.

May presented a video that featured the history of the hospital, its many awards and plans for future expansion. The audience applauded PMC’s title as top health care provider and its ranking of third overall in Best Places to Work among large companies in Kentucky.

“I have always told the many people at PMC that the only restrictions we have are those we place on ourselves,” May said. “The distinction of National Hospital of the Year is proof of what we can do, what our employees have done, and we’ve only just begun.”

Dr. Allen Gore, Director of the American Alliance of Healthcare Providers, concluded the conference by awarding May and PMC with a plaque of honor.

That gesture prompted a standing ovation from the crowd.

By MARY MEADOWS
Staff Writer

ELKHORN CITY — Elkhorn City Elementary student Kyle Smith has inspired many people during his 16-month battle with an aggressive form of leukemia.

And those people returned the favor by naming a county bridge that leads to his school in his honor.

Kyle’s family, classmates, teachers, Elkhorn City residents, and public officials unveiled signs to officially name the bridge the “Kyle Dean Smith Bridge” during an April 22 ceremony.

Many people in attendance wore “Fighting for Kyle” T-shirts and orange ribbons. The balloons on the bridge and a sign stating, “We love you, Kyle. You are awesome,” reflected the school’s colors.

“It will be special for the entire family,” his mother Shelly said, as she walked across the bridge prior to the unveiling. “Every time we come across this bridge, we will see his name. No matter what happens, a little piece of him will always be here.”

Kyle was honored by the gesture, and he thanked the community and area officials for naming the bridge in his honor. After the ceremony, he was surrounded by students, many of whom asked him to autograph their T-shirts.

The 11-year-old was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia 16 months ago and has since undergone numerous medical procedures, including a bone marrow transplant and chemotherapy treatments, which ultimately failed to improve his condition.

During an April 9 interview with the Medical Leader, Shelly reported that the leukemia spread from Kyle’s bone marrow into his bloodstream. He was given three weeks to two months to live, she said.

Elkhorn City Council member Mike Taylor encouraged people to not give up on Kyle’s chances of getting better.

“The fight is just beginning,” he said. “We need to fight harder. We need to pray harder.”

Taylor initiated several fundraisers and bone marrow donation drives for Kyle and worked closely with the family during the ordeal. He also initiated the bridge dedication and received approval from the Pike County Fiscal Court.

“I love him with all of my heart,” he said, “and if everybody had the courage and the faith and the belief that this little boy has, boy, what a country we’d live in.”

People who spoke during the ceremony thanked Kyle for being brave and for inspiring them.

Elkhorn City Elementary Principal James Mercer called it a “special day for a special kid” who has represented the school well.

“Kyle, I am honored to be here with you today, Buddy,” he said. “This is such a special day. To name this bridge in your honor is just a very special day for all of us.”

His comments drew applause from the crowd, many of whom wiped away tears as they watched Kyle interact with his classmates. He and his sister have had homebound teachers since the onset of his illness.

Watching Kyle deal with the illness has pulled his school and his community together, officials said.

“Ever since Kyle has been sick, I have been seeing the signs that say ‘Pray for Kyle, our brave little boy,’” Elkhorn City Mayor Bill Powell said. “I’ve noticed how this has pulled the community closer together, with various groups working together to help him.”

Mercer said the school community has grown closer as well. He said he wanted to build a team when he started working at the school. By working together to support and assist Kyle, that school team has become a family, he said.

Kay Lawson, an employee of the county’s emergency management department who made the signs for Kyle last week, was emotional when she explained how meeting Kyle helped her.

“Thank you. You are such an inspiration to me,” she told him. “I thought if you had to go through all of this, I can handle the problems I’m facing.”

Taylor is selling “Pray for Kyle” bracelets to raise donations for the family. To purchase a bracelet or sell bracelets on Kyle’s behalf, contact Taylor at (606) 754-4876.

HealthStream honors hospital for outstanding service

By WHITNEY HOGG
For The Medical Leader

PIKEVILLE — Pikeville Medical Center has won the Excellence through Insight Award in two units, Inpatient Oncology and Inpatient Rehabilitation.

The honor is awarded by HealthStream Research, an organization that conducts telephone surveys with hospital patients after their discharge, asking them about their stay. Patients are asked questions such as: “Did your nurse listen to your needs?” “Would you recommend this hospital to a friend or family member?” and “Did the healthcare providers care about you as a person?”

“A patient’s opinion of Pikeville Medical Center begins when they receive or make a phone call about their doctor’s appointment,” said Kathy Khoshreza, director of Inpatient Oncology.

“It then continues with our valet parking, greeters, housekeepers, nurses, and our physicians. Awards such as this are a true reflection of how all PMC employees are dedicated to providing the best patient satisfaction possible.”

PMC’s Inpatient Oncology physicians Dr. Tamara Musgrave, Dr. John Simmons, Dr. Vijaya Puram, Dr. Raghuram Modur, and Dr. Bharat Jenigiri, along with their nurses and staff, strive to educate their patients about their treatment plan and provide comfort during their stay at PMC.

“The Inpatient Oncology physicians and staff develop personal relationships with our patients during their time of need,” said Khosherza.

“We try to provide the most compassion and care possible for our patients.”

The Inpatient Rehabilitation unit’s goal is to return patients to the community and assist them in resuming their normal day-today activities as much as possible. Inpatients can use tools such as a car simulator as well as kitchen and laundry facilities to reach this goal and get back to normal.

Inpatient Rehab physicians Dr. Allen Huang, Dr. Michelle Mina, and Dr. Naveed Ahmed, along with other staff, work with patients and their families and/or caregivers to design and execute a carefully monitored treatment plan that meets each patient’s needs.

“PMC is so thankful to provide this service to our community. We in Inpatient Rehab realize that our patients have a choice. They do not have to come to our unit. They can pick any rehab facility they prefer or not go at all,” said Margie Blackburn, director of Inpatient Rehabilitation. “This award is a true reflection of the quality care provided at PMC.”

Representatives from both Inpatient Oncology and Inpatient Rehab will be recognized during an awards ceremony at the HealthStream Summit on May 19-20 at Gaylord Opryland Hotel in Nashville, Tenn.

PIKEVILLE — Pikeville city streets bled purple on April 24 during the East Kentucky Autism Awareness Walk.

Cindy Wetzel, who helped organize the event for the Pike County Fiscal Court, reported that 623 people attended the event, which commemorated April as National Autism Awareness Month.

The awareness walk was organized last year by Pike County resident Katina Justice, whose son is autistic. She worked with county officials, city officials, business representatives, and community residents to plan this year’s event.

Participants circled several blocks from and to the city park, received information at various booths, and enjoyed free lunch and T-shirts.

“It’s good to do things like this to spread awareness about autism. It feels like I am making a difference,” said Brittany Stump, 18, a Morehead State University art major who made posters for the walk.

She participated in honor of her 5-year-old brother, a Johns Creek Elementary student who has autism.

Judge-Executive Wayne T. Rutherford presented a proclamation recognizing April as Autism Awareness Month in Pike County, explaining that the developmental disorder affects one out of every 130 children.

He emphasized the need for treatment in young children. The disorder usually appears in the child’s first three years of life.

Wetzel’s daughter, Hannah, an 8-year-old with autism, helped other local children carry the banner during the walk. Early treatment she received helped her overcome many obstacles caused by the disorder.

Hannah was diagnosed with autism when she was 2 years old and had intensive speech and occupational therapy before she started school. Her family sought help because Hannah didn’t achieve major milestones of development as a toddler.

Today, Hannah attends regular classes at Johns Creek Elementary.

“We’re trying to get the word out there and raise awareness so people know where to go and the resources available to them in this area,” Wetzel said. “If parents wait until their child starts school to get help, they’ve missed an opportunity. They’ve missed time they could have spent getting treatment.”

Representative Leslie Combs shared the story of an autistic family member who grew up alongside her son and taught her much about the disorder.

“I’m trying desperately to understand this,” she said, prior to asking why children are increasingly being diagnosed with autism. “Let’s continue to work on autism because I think there’s an answer.”

Senator Ray Jones, who sponsored legislation for the past two years to help families fund the treatment and diagnosis of autism, talked about House Bill 159, which was signed into law on April 14.

The law increases the amount insurance companies are required to pay for the treatment and diagnosis of autism from $500 monthly to $1,000 monthly, Jones said. Treatment of autism can cost up to $60,000 annually.

He said the law was a “step in the right direction” and promised to continue to work to raise the cap on the coverage so that more children can receive help.

The law may be found online at [www. lrc.ky.gov].

The event cost $4,500, Wetzel said.

Donations were provided by Teco Coal, H2O Construction, ICG Coal, Ratliff Moving and Delivery, William J. “Bill” Baird III and Kay Baird, Glenn Martin Hammond Law Office, Gary C. Johnson, Shane Hall, AAA Real Estate, Childers Oil, Summit Engineering, Hager and Associates, Oliver B. Williamson Financial Services, Community Trust Bank, C & C Carpet, and Kentucky Armory National Guard.

In-kind donations of food and other items were provided by Southeast Telephone, Pepsi, Food City, Walmart, Eastern Kentucky Exposition Center, Medical Leader, JW Call Funeral Home, and Thacker Memorial.

Hospital earns outstanding achievement award

By CASEY PRICE
For The Medical Leader

PIKEVILLE — Pikeville Medical Center has received the Commission on Cancer’s Outstanding Achievement Award for its cancer services.

The hospital is the only facility in Kentucky to earn the commission’s highest award.

Established in 2004, the award is designed to recognize cancer programs that strive for excellence in providing quality care to cancer patients.

Only 82 of the more than 1,400 accredited cancer facilities in the United States earned such recognition.

The award is given to facilities who receive commendation in at least six standards, which were reviewed by a physician surveyor during an on-site visit in November of last year.

The standards represent five areas of cancer program activity, including community outreach and quality improvement. PMC has earned the award since its inception.

“This was a joint effort with many departments throughout the hospital,” said Dr. Tamara Musgrave, Oncology and Infectious Disease Specialist.

“The Cancer Committee and its chair Dr. Mary Lyn Lu, The Cancer Case Conference, Cancer Registrar Leisa Hopkins, radiology, pathology, inpatient oncology staff, Leonard Lawson Cancer Center staff and doctors, and the residency program all played major roles in getting this award.”

To be eligible, the hospital must first be accredited with commendation by the Commission on Cancer, a task completed by only 37 percent of hospitals in Kentucky.

“This award recognizes a significant commitment by the personnel of PMC to provide higher quality cancer care,” said Walter E. May, chief executive officer of PMC.

“Pikeville Medical Center has exceeded the national standards set forth by the Commission on Cancer Accreditation program, and that is why we are the only hospital in the state to receive this award.”

By TEDDY PAYNTER
Staff Writer

LEXINGTON — For many years Pikeville Medical Center (PMC) has provided an environment where people love to come to work, in addition to providing patients with quality regional healthcare in a Christian environment.

Once again, PMC has been honored as one of the Best Places to Work in Kentucky. On April 21, the annual Best Places to Work awards banquet was held at the Lexington Convention Center. Pikeville Medical Center placed third overall in the large company division. Significantly, no other hospital ranked in the top five.

This achievement would not have been possible without the dedication of the medical center’s more than 1,700 employees. PMC has improved its rankings every year it has participated in the Best Places to Work competition. The hospital ranked one spot up from last year and will continue to strive to become number one overall.

“Our employees demonstrate the very best in healthcare services,” said Walter E. May, President and Chief Executive Officer of Pikeville Medical Center. “This award further validates our commitment to our patients to provide quality regional healthcare in a Christian environment.”

The prestigious honor adds to an already impressive list of accolades for PMC. The hospital has been named National Hospital of the Year by the American Alliance of Healthcare Providers and was recognized as one of the nation’s Best Places to Work by Modern Healthcare Magazine.

Melissa Coleman, Interim Vice President of Human Resources at Pikeville Medical Center and the chair of the hospital’s Employer of Choice Team, said, “Our employees are the reason PMC continues to be recognized as one of the Best Places to Work in Kentucky. It is through their dedication and teamwork we continue to excel and proudly accept this prestigious distinction.”

The Best Places to Work in Kentucky, which began in 2004, is a celebration of elite employers. PMC was among 64 large and small/medium companies recognized during the awards ceremony for their outstanding achievements.

“The passion of our people and the compassion of our mission have guided us into unprecedented levels of medicine over the years,” said Juanita Deskins, Interim Chief Operating Officer. “Awards such as this show that our employees share our commitment to excellent care.”

The goal of Best Places to Work is to raise the bar among the state’s employers and create excellence and employee satisfaction in the workplace that will attract talented people.

The Kentucky Society for Human Resource Management and the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce are co-founders of the program.

The program is open to all publicly or privately held organizations that have at least 25 employees working in the state.

Through Best Places to Work, PMC and other employers are able to measure employees’ workplace satisfaction each year.

A two-part process was used to determine the Best Places to Work in Kentucky. The first part — worth 25 percent of the total evaluation — consisted of evaluating each nominated company’s workplace policies, practices, and demographics. The second part utilized an employee survey to measure the employee experience and was worth 75 percent of the total evaluation. The combined scores determined the top companies and the final rankings.

Other local companies were also honored — PMC congratulates Appalachian Wireless for ranking third in the small/medium division and Hazard Community and Technical College for ranking 31st in the large division.