vim - Marion General Hospital

vim&
HEALTHY
LIVING
FOR OUR
REGION
SPRING 2012 $2.95
MGH’s impact
on our economy
and our community
NATIONALLY
RECOGNIZED
CANCER
CARE, IN YOUR
NEIGHBORHOOD
A curious
9-year-old tours
the hospital where
she was born
A New Day
AWARD-
WINNING
APPROACH
TO HEART
CARE
page 50
JENNIFER HUDSON makes maintaining
her new, svelte shape look easy. Here’s
how she does it—and how you can, too

COVER PHOTO BY ROB KIM/GETTY IMAGES
DEPARTMENTS
2 Opening Thoughts
Our employees,
volunteers and
contract staff serve our
Healthcare Community.
3 Life in General The
latest news from MGH.
46 Virtual Health
Get the inside scoop
on apps, technology
and online resources
for better health.
52 Employee Excellence
Who’s lighting the
hospital’s halls?
53 Lifetime of Learning
Staff members commit
to quality healthcare by
earning certifications.
54 Volunteer Services
Honoring those who
give their time and
talents.
55 Donations The MGH
Memorial Garden
commemorates
employees, physicians
and volunteers.
56 Community
Connections Education
programs and support
groups.
49
4
Stay
6
What’s
10
16
20
SPECIAL
Little Lily
Returns
Meet a 9-year-old
girl who traveled
from Michigan
to visit MGH, the
hospital where she
was born.
in Town for the Best
Cancer Care Around
When you are diagnosed with cancer,
you can take comfort knowing that
nationally recognized experts are just
moments away.
at Stake
Paul L. Usher, president/CEO, shares
Marion General Hospital’s impact on
our economy and our community.
Get Real
Bad boy or overachiever? When it
comes to heart health, which reality
TV personality are you most like?
How Far We’ve Come
Take a look at recent advances in
women’s healthcare—and what’s on
the horizon.
Patient Survival Guide
With the right resources and good
information, you can improve the
way you experience healthcare.
CONTENTS
FEATURES
24
34
36
40
43
50
Perfect Attendance
Before you write off rehabilitation
therapy, be sure you understand its
purpose and what to expect.
Lean on Me
Hearing that your spouse has prostate
cancer can be perplexing. But you can
get through it—together.
Intimidated by the Gym?
Don’t let fear keep you from exercising.
We shed light on common reasons
people fear the gym.
What Is Your Volunteer Style?
Take this quiz to learn which hospital
volunteer jobs are most likely to fit
your personality type and skill set.
A Prescription for Relief
When you live with chronic pain, getting
the right treatment is essential.
Here’s where to start.
Heartfelt Congratulations
MGH’s chest pain center has been
recognized for its commitment to
quality cardiac care.
28
ON THE COVER
Jennifer Hudson, Grammy-winning recording artist,
Oscar-winning actress and Weight Watchers spokeswoman,
shed more than 80 pounds after the birth of her son.
Learn the secrets to her success.
Vim & Vigor · SPRING 2012 1

Opening ThoughTs
Our Employees,
Volunteers and Contract
Staff Serve Our
Healthcare Community
Caring, compassionate and committed describe our staff
Our Healthcare Community is very fortunate to
have more than 1,100 staff serving our healthcare
needs. MGH is open 24 hours a day, seven
days a week, every day of the year. This requires
staff willing to work many different schedules to ensure that
we have staff, facilities, equipment, supplies, food, etc., available
to provide services to each of you when you need them.
Many of our staff are your relatives, friends and neighbors,
since over 80 percent of our staff live in Grant County. This
truly makes MGH a community hospital since we are serving
those we know and love.
Caring, compassionate and committed describe our staff. This is what I hear from
many people in our Healthcare Community regularly. Regardless of where I may be, at
a community event or meeting, church, eating out, shopping or at the hospital where I
receive emails and notes, people seek me out to tell me all the wonderful stories about
our staff. People really appreciate the caring and compassion shown by our staff. We
are all indeed very fortunate to have such staff in our Healthcare Community.
But remember, none of us is perfect. We all make mistakes; however, we take all
steps we can possibly take to ensure that mistakes are not made, although sometimes
they occur. I commit to you that we continually strive to improve the quality of care
and service that we provide to you.
Our staff are committed to serving you; however, they need your cooperation and
help many times to provide the best quality care and service possible. You can help
them by providing needed information and communicating with them regarding
your needs.
As our nation’s healthcare system faces difficult challenges in the future, remember
our staff and healthcare workers in our nation did not create the current situation.
Therefore, think about saying “thank you” to staff who serve you and don’t blame
them for our current national healthcare situation.
Thank you for your support of our Healthcare Community. Your continued support
of MGH will help ensure “local access to quality healthcare” in the future.
Paul L. Usher, FACHE, CPA, FHFMA
President/CEO
Marion General Hospital
MariOn GEnEral HOSpital
president/CEO
Paul L. Usher, FACHE, CPA, FHFMA
Chairman, Board of Directors
Joe Martin
president, Medical Staff
Esther B. Fox, D.O.
administrative Director/Medical Staff Services and
Community Outreach
Ann Vermilion, MBA, FACHE
Editor
Randy Deffenbaugh
Contributing photographers
Eric Marshall
Carl and Allison Saathoff
prODUCtiOn
Editorial
V.P./Strategic Content: Beth Tomkiw
Editor-in-Chief: Shelley Flannery
Editors: Erin Feeney, Sam Mittelsteadt, Matt Morgan, Ellen Olson,
Tom Weede
Copy Editor: C.J. Hutchinson
Design
Managing Art Director: Adele Mulford
Art Directors: Kevin Goodbar, Rod Karmenzind, Monya Mollohan,
Kay Morrow, Tami Rodgers
production
Senior Production Manager: Laura Marlowe
Ancillary Production Manager: Casey Jones
Imaging Specialist: Dane Nordine
Production Technology Specialists: Julie Chan, Sonia Washington
Circulation
V.P./Business Intelligence Group: Patrick Kehoe
Postal Affairs & Logistics Director: Joseph Abeyta
CliEnt SErViCES
V.P./Sales & Product Development: Chad Rose, 888-626-8779
V.P./Client Services & Strategy: Andrea Parsons
Account Managers: Carey Ballard, Barbara Mohr, Paul Peterson
aDMiniStratiOn
Vim & Vigor Founder: J. Barry Johnson
Chairman: Preston V. McMurry Jr.
President/Chief Executive Officer: Christopher McMurry
Chief Financial Officer: Clarke Rea
President/Content Marketing: Fred Petrovsky
441 N. Wabash Ave., Marion, IN 46952-2690
If you prefer not to receive our magazine or other health and
wellness information from Marion General Hospital, please call us at
765-660-6000 or send your request to be removed from our mailing
list to randy.deffenbaugh@mgh.net.
Vim & Vigor, TM Spring 2012, Volume 28, Number 1, is published quarterly by
McMurry, McMurry Campus Center, 1010 E. Missouri Ave., Phoenix, Arizona
85014, 602-395-5850. Vim & Vigor TM is published for the purpose of disseminating
health-related information for the well-being of the general
public and its subscribers. The information contained in Vim & Vigor TM is not
intended for the purpose of diagnosing or prescribing. Please consult your
physician before undertaking any form of medical treatment and/or adopting
any exercise program or dietary guidelines. Vim & Vigor TM does not accept
advertising promoting the consumption of alcohol or tobacco. Copyright
© 2012 by McMurry. All rights reserved. Subscriptions in U.S.: $4 for one year
(4 issues). Single copies: $2.95. For subscriptions and address changes, write:
Circulation Manager, Vim & Vigor, TM McMurry Campus Center, 1010 E. Missouri
Ave., Phoenix, Arizona 85014.
2
Vim & Vigor • SPRING 2012

Life in General
MGH Lab Receives
National Accreditation
The accreditation committee of the College of
American Pathologists (CAP) has awarded accreditation
to MGH Diagnostics-Northwood based on the
results of a recent on-site inspection.
The laboratory’s director, Dean Ricks, M.D., was
advised of this national recognition and was congratulated
for the excellent services the laboratory provides.
MGH Diagnostics-Northwood joins more than 7,000
laboratories worldwide that are CAP-accredited.
CAP is the world’s largest association composed exclusively of board-certified
pathologists and is widely considered the leader in laboratory quality assurance.
The federal government recognizes the CAP Laboratory Accreditation Program
as being equal to or more stringent than its own inspection program.
During the CAP accreditation process, inspectors examine the laboratory’s
records and quality control of procedures for the preceding two years. CAP
inspectors also examine laboratory staff qualifications, as well as the laboratory’s
equipment, facilities, safety program and record, in addition to the
overall management.
This stringent inspection program is designed to specifically ensure the
highest standard of care for all laboratory patients.
New Providers
Join MGH
Connie M. Ignacio, M.D.
Marion Anesthesiology PC
Haritha Bellam, M.D.
MGH Hospitalist
Program
Need a Doc?
Call the MGH physician referral line
at 765-660-6444.
Plush Toys Comfort Children
During Their Hospital Stays
They are cute, cuddly, fluffy and free to inpatient pediatric
unit patients, ages 1 to 10. What are they? Pillow Pets! They
help Marion General Hospital’s young patients cope with an
often unexpected inpatient hospital stay.
“As you can imagine, they have been very well received
by our children,” says Donna Tucker, administrative director
of maternal child care. “Once they receive one, it gives them
an immediate smile and a sudden urge to hug.”
Pillow Pets are provided to MGH free of charge by the
Starlight Children’s Foundation Midwest in Chicago.
“We have partnered with
the foundation for many
A gift from a Chicago-based
years and have been grateful foundation, these Pillow Pets
help children cope when they
recipients of their generosity,”
are admitted to the hospital.
Tucker says. “In the past, they
have given us pull wagons and video game consoles to help
our children get through long days spent at the hospital.”
Once discharged from MGH, Pillow Pets go home with the
children to permanently stay, providing them with many more
opportunities to smile and have the sudden urge to hug.
Vim & Vigor • SPRING 2012 3

Stay in town for the
Best CanCer Care
around
Get to know the compassion
and convenience of
Progressive Cancer Care
online
Discover More
About Our
Cancer Care
Progressive Cancer Care can help guide you or
a loved one through cancer. Find out how. Visit
www.progressivecancercare.com.
By Randy deffenBaugh
When you are diagnosed with cancer, you are faced with
many difficult decisions. An important one is deciding
where to go for treatment.
Do you go to a hospital or a treatment center many miles away
because you believe you will get better care, or do you stay close to
home where you have the needed support of family and friends?
Thankfully, residents of Grant and surrounding counties have the
best of both worlds.
At Progressive Cancer Care (PCC), 831 N. Theatre Drive, awardwinning,
nationally accredited cancer treatment, delivered by regionally
and nationally recognized, board-certified physicians, is only
moments away.
PCC offers compassionate cancer care, conveniently close to home,
in combination with the most advanced technology and most precise
treatments available anywhere in the world.
Chemotherapy
What it is: The use of one or more medicines to treat cancer,
administered by mouth or through injection.
When it’s used: Because chemotherapy travels throughout the
body, it is used when cancer has spread beyond the original tumor.
Where you can find the best care near you: Marion General
Hospital provides medical oncology services for Progressive
Cancer Care.
The desired goal is to eliminate the disease. More commonly,
medical oncology prevents recurrence of cancer or
extends remission.
“We take pride in the fact that we treat every patient that walks
through our door as a family member,” says Marilyn Pearcy, R.N.,
OCN, MSM, administrative director of medical oncology. “Our
successes are being able to provide our patients with the ability
to celebrate milestones like another birthday, the birth of a grandchild,
or a child’s graduation or wedding.”
MGH Medical Oncology is one of only 25 percent of cancer
programs in the U.S. that are accredited by the Commission on
Cancer of the American College of Surgeons.
The staff, which includes two physicians, certified oncology
nurses, a registered pharmacist and certified lab technologists
(who offer full lab service daily) treat more than 100 patients a
day and nearly 800 new patients a year.
Meet your Medical Oncologists
Edmond A. Bendaly, M.D.
• Board certified: Internal medicine, palliative
medicine, hematology, medical oncology
• Medical school: American University of
Beirut, Lebanon
• Internal medicine residency and palliative
medicine fellowship: Indiana University,
Bloomington, Ind.
• Hematology/medical oncology fellowship:
New York University, New York
Rathi Mahendran, M.D.
• Board certified: Internal medicine, hematology,
medical oncology
• Medical school: St. George’s University
School of Medicine, Grenada, West Indies
• Hematology and oncology fellowship: State
University of New York Health Science
Center, Brooklyn, N.Y.
• Bone marrow transplant fellowship: Indiana
University, Bloomington, Ind.
4
Vim & Vigor • SPRING 2012

What It Means
to Be Certified
Marion General Hospital’s medical oncologists
and radiation oncologists are board-certified in
their specialties. Why is this important to you?
• It validates their knowledge, skills and expertise
in their particular medical specialty.
• It shows their dedication to education and
staying abreast of the latest medical developments
and advances in their field.
• It measures their commitment to providing
superior care and results.
RadIatIon
What it is: The use of high-energy X-rays to shrink or
kill cancer cells.
When it’s used: To treat localized cancers, or those
that have not spread. In some cancers, radiation may
be the only treatment necessary. In others, radiation
is used to shrink the tumor before surgery or to prevent
it from coming back after surgery.
Where you can find the best care near you:
Progressive Cancer Care provides radiation
oncology services with physicians from Indiana
Radiotherapy PC.
The center is equipped with a Varian Clinac iX
linear accelerator that offers intensity-modulated
radiation therapy, or IMRT, one of the most precise
forms of external beam radiation therapy available.
With IMRT, the radiation is effectively broken
into thousands of beams, rather than having a single
large radiation beam pass through the body. IMRT
provides increased accuracy, minimizing harm to
surrounding tissues.
“That’s the technical aspect of what we do, but
more important is the human factor,” says Steve
Mughmaw, executive director of Progressive Cancer
Care. “We make every effort to provide a caring
atmosphere for our patients while providing them
with care above and beyond what they would normally
expect.”
PCC Radiation Oncology carefully treats more
than 225 new patients each year. Although the center
is equipped to treat a wide range of cancers, the focus
is on the two primary cancers in the area: prostate
and breast.
Meet Your Radiation Oncologists
Fred Francis, M.D.
• Board certified: Radiation oncology
• Medical school: University of Kentucky, Lexington, Ky.
• Residency: University of Cincinnati
• Master of Science in Health Physics: Georgia Institute of
Technology, Atlanta
• Memberships: American College of Radiation Oncology,
American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and
Oncology
• Office: Partner, Indiana Radiotherapy PC
Yungie Xie Lin, M.D., Ph.D.
• Board certified: Radiation oncology
• Medical school: Suzhou Medical College, Suzhou, China
• Ph.D. in Cancer Biology: Wayne State University School of
Medicine, Detroit
• Postdoctoral fellowship and residency: Henry Ford
Hospital, Detroit
• Membership: American Society for Therapeutic Radiology
and Oncology
• Office: Partner, Indiana Radiotherapy PC
Stephen Tilmans, M.D.
• Board certified: Radiation oncology
• Medical school: Indiana University School of Medicine,
Indianapolis
• Residency: Indiana University Medical Center, Indianapolis
• Memberships: American Society for Therapeutic
Radiology and Oncology, American College of Radiology,
American Medical Association
• Professorship: Clinical assistant professor, Indiana
University School of Medicine, Indianapolis
• Office: President, Indiana Radiotherapy PC
Vim & Vigor • SPRING 2012 5

What’s at
Impact on Our Economy and Our Community
Marion General Hospital (MGH), a part of our community
for over 110 years, stands ready to care for you with
doors open 24 hours a day, seven (7) days a week, 365
days a year. Every year, MGH serves thousands of individuals
and keeps our community healthy, strong, and
vibrant. This record of service is, and always will be, our
most valuable contribution to the community.
MGH strengthens the infrastructure of our local community
as residents rely on MGH to:
provide high quality, caring, compassionate, and
efficient healthcare;
provide care for the uninsured;
educate people about good health and well being;
provide support groups;
support community organizations;
ensure safety during an emergency or disaster;
bring life into the world;
care for the elderly; and,
provide comfort at the end of life, including
bereavement support.
MGH is critical to the economic viability of our community
as a major source of employment and purchaser of
goods and services. There is a significant “ripple” effect
in our community of the dollars MGH brings into the
community and the jobs it helps create. In addition, MGH
provides a safe, stable, and healthy community.
Jobs 1,500
AN ECONOMIC ANCHOR TO
OUR COMMUNITY
Provides Well-Paying, Consistent Employment
• MGH employs over 812 Fulltime-Equivalents (FTEs)
healthcare professionals and our contract company
partners employ 100 FTEs, for a total of 912 jobs and
payroll of $58,034,000. Payroll expenditures serve
as an important economic stimulus, creating and
supporting jobs throughout our economy.
• Dollars earned by MGH employees and contracted
staff generate approximately $106,945,000 in economic
activity (e.g. groceries, clothing, mortgage payments,
rent, etc.) and create an additional 589 jobs
for our economy.
Stimulates the Economy with Purchases of Goods
and Services
• MGH spent nearly $52,095,000 on goods and services
necessary to provide healthcare services (e.g. medical
supplies, utilities, food, purchased services, etc.).
Dollars spent by MGH to buy goods and total financial
impact of approximately $96,001,000 for our economy.
• Property tax payments of approximately $223,000
and local payroll taxes support local government.
Ensures Growth and Continual Improvement
• Significant capital investment in technology and property
of $10,717,000 plus approximately $19,000,000
to revitalize and beautify our community through the
planned MGH South Marion Medical Park.
Annual Economic Impact:
Payroll 106,945,000
Goods and services purchases 96,001,000
Capital investment 10,717,000
MGH South Marion Medical Park 19,000,000
Total direct and indirect impact $232,663,000
6
Vim & Vigor • SPRING 2012

BY PAUL L. USHER, FACHE, CPA, FHFMA, MGH PRESIDENT AND CEO
Stake
Marion General Hospital’s
Impact on Our Economy
and Our Community
A GOOD NEIGHBOR AND
CORPORATE CITIZEN
MGH raises the standard for community involvement
through educational and outreach programs, fiscal support,
and community partnerships geared to improve
the health and wholeness of our community. As the
second largest corporate citizen in our community, residents
look to MGH for leadership and guidance well
beyond healthcare.
Listed below is a small sample of the ways MGH and its
employees give back to our community we serve:
Why? Because it is the right thing to do.
A “ZONE OF SAFETY”
Our local community can take comfort in knowing that
MGH is preparing today for the challenges of tomorrow.
MGH does more than provide medical care to our community.
MGH provides a place of refuge, food, shelter,
and information in times of distress by:
• Participating in the Grant County Emergency Action
team, as well as employing numerous safety and preparedness
teams;
• Providing emergency ambulance services without a
subsidy from the County or City;
• Providing resources and working with other
Emergency Agencies and our County Health
Department, such as the assistance MGH provided
during the H1N1 crisis in recent years; and,
• Providing resources for education through MGH’s
outreach programs such as the MGH Parish Nursing
Program, which provides a flow of information
through 115 nurses in 74 area churches.
• Provided $461,880 to local business groups and service
organizations whose missions are to improve the
quality of life in our community by supporting;
Bridges to Health;
Community Foundation;
Family Service Society, Inc.;
Grant County Economic Growth Council
Grant County & Gas City Chamber
of Commerce;
Main Street Marion and participating in
First Fridays;
United Way of Grant County; and,
YMCA and others.
• MGH estimates that nearly 65% of all MGH employees
give back to the community through their position
at MGH and in their personal endeavors and
life. Examples are: 1) United Way chairperson, 2)
non-profit organization board members, and 3) volunteering
at service organizations, churches, sports
organizations, neighborhood associations, etc. Our
employees care about our community and give
back on and off work hours. >
Vim & Vigor · SPRING 2012 7

What’s at Stake
CONCLUSION
PROVIDING OTHER IMPORTANT
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL BENEFITS
• Medical and Nursing Education: MGH is committed
to expanding knowledge and enhancing the
careers of our healthcare workforce, and does so
through funding medical and nursing educational
reimbursement programs, tuition loan forgiveness
programs, and supporting continued education and
certification attainment. In the past two (2) years,
MGH has spent over $2,500,000 in health professional
education.
MGH is a key ingredient to our community’s quality of
life and in keeping our community healthy and vibrant.
MGH is a major contributor to our economy and to keeping
families healthy and secure by providing needed
healthcare services.
MGH’s future is “at risk” based on changes occurring in
healthcare. Local access to quality care is not guaranteed
in the future. Therefore, we urge our community leaders,
elected officials, and businesses to recognize that MGH
is instrumental to supporting our economy and attracting
new business; therefore, continued support of MGH
is critical to our community’s future.
• Recruitment of Physicians and Health
Professionals: MGH is proud of its quality of care, its
caring and compassion for its patients, and its healthcare
excellence achieved by our team of employees,
medical staff, volunteers, and contract staff. All of
which has led to accreditations, accolades, and awards
from local, state, national, and worldwide peers and
healthcare organizations. This level of excellence
is a critical factor in the recruitment of physicians,
nurses, and other healthcare professionals to the area.
• Professional-Looking Campus: MGH takes pride in
creating an aesthetically beautiful and professionallooking
campus in landscape design, smoke-free
environment, and continuous improvement in our
properties. Area businesses highlight MGH and our
campus when showing positive aspects of Marion
and Grant County to prospective new businesses.
8
Vim & Vigor · SPRING 2012

Little Lily Returns
Lily Barrett (right) travels
from Michigan to visit
MGH, where she was
born, with her family:
sister Grace, father
Scott, maternal
grandmother
Shirley Mikula and
mother Julie.
Nine-year-old Lily Barrett shares a picture of her as a
newborn at MGH.
When Lily Barrett was
6 months old, her parents
decided to move from Indiana
to Michigan to be closer to
family. The decision ultimately
was the right one. The move
allowed Lily to get to know her
maternal grandfather,
who passed away five years
later from cancer.
A curious 9-year-old comes
from a state away to visit the
hospital where she was born
By Randy deffenBaugh
At 9:20 a.m. on June 19, 2002, little
Lily Barrett entered a bright, new
world after a normal birth at Marion
General Hospital.
This year, at the tender age of 9, with the help of
mother Julie, father Scott and 5-year-old sister Grace,
Lily made the trip from their home in Michigan to the
place of her birth to retrace the beginning of her young life.
“Lily’s third-grade class was talking about the different
states and geography, and through that conversation found out she
was the only child in the class not born in Michigan,” Julie says. “She was
quite proud of that, so we decided to return to Marion to show her where
we lived and where she was born, since she had an interest.”
When planning the return trip to Marion, Lily’s mother contacted
Donna Tucker, administrative director of maternal child care, to see if
it would be possible to take a tour of MGH’s family birthing center.
“We were just expecting a brief tour, but Donna and her staff made it
much more special and memorable than that,” Lily’s mother says. “They
had a cake, signs and balloons, and at the end of the tour, they placed a
doll we had bought Lily in a bassinet and rolled it out to her. It was a very
pleasant surprise, and we were very grateful for everything they did.”
Lily’s interest piqued and her eyes grew quite wide when touring the
nursery and seeing the newborns, because she helps feed babies at a latchkey
program after school.
According to her mother, during the tour of Marion and after seeing the
home she lived in as a newborn, Lily stated she may return to Marion, as
a fashion designer, and buy the same house.
She also says she wants to have twin daughters, Crystal and Rainbow.
What are the chances they will one day be born at MGH? Only time will
tell.
CALL
Schedule a Tour of MGH
Get an up-close look at MGH!
Call 765-660-7200 to schedule a tour of the hospital.
Vim & Vigor • SPRING 2012 49

Heartfelt
Congratulations
Accreditation of MGH’s chest
pain center underscores a
commitment to cardiac care
By Randy deffenBaugh
Marion General Hospital has once again earned the designation
of accredited chest pain center from the Society
of Chest Pain Centers.
“We are proud of our commitment to provide excellent
emergency and cardiac care to Grant County and the surrounding
community,” says Melo-Dee Perez, M.S., R.N., RCIS, chest pain
center coordinator. “This accreditation is possible because of the work
and commitment of a multidisciplinary team that includes employees
from various departments, EMS, dispatch, emergency physicians
and cardiologists.”
Swift and SyStematic approach
As an accredited chest pain center, MGH ensures that patients who
arrive at the hospital complaining of chest pain or other symptoms of
a heart attack receive the treatment necessary during the critical window
of time when the integrity of the heart muscle can be preserved.
MGH’s protocol-driven and systematic approach to patient management
allows physicians to reduce time to treatment during the
critical early stages of a heart attack, when treatments are most effective,
and to better monitor patients when it is not clear whether they
are having a coronary event. Such observation helps ensure a patient
is neither sent home too early, nor needlessly admitted.
paSSing the teSt
MGH demonstrated its expertise and commitment to quality patient
care by meeting or exceeding a wide set of stringent criteria (see
“Expertise in Action at MGH”) and by undergoing an on-site review
by a specialized team from the Society of Chest Pain Centers.
“As an accredited chest pain center, virtually every employee and
physician caring for a cardiac patient has committed themselves to
delivering evidence-based medicine,” Perez says. “This means we will
be constantly reviewing literature for best practices and implementing
changes that reflect that standard of care.”
50
Vim & Vigor • SPRING 2012

onlInE
Discover
More About
Quality at
MGH
To learn more about
MGH’s awards and
other recognitions, visit
www.mgh.net
and click “News.”
Expertise
in Action
at MGH
An accredited chest pain
center like Marion General
Hospital’s must demonstrate
expertise in key areas that include:
• Integrating the emergency department with the
local emergency medical system
• Assessing, diagnosing and treating patients quickly
• Effectively treating patients with low risk for
acute coronary syndrome and no assignable cause
for their symptoms
• Continually seeking to improve processes and
procedures
• Ensuring chest pain center personnel competency
and training
• Maintaining organizational structure and
commitment
• Having a functional design that promotes optimal
patient care
• Supporting community outreach programs that
educate the public to promptly seek medical care
if they display symptoms of a possible heart attack
Vim & Vigor • SPRING 2012 51

EMPLOYEE EXCELLENCE
Who’s Lighting the Halls of MGH?
Marion General Hospital honors
its employees who embrace
the spirit of service excellence
through its Headlighter program. Here
is MGH’s most recent group of employees
who earned the distinction.
HEADLIGHTERS
• Kim Dempsey,
CHF/anticoagulation clinic
• Brandi Reynolds, physician practices
• Jon Marsee, dietary (Morrison)
• Debbie Briscoe, information technology
• Dwane Bullock, protective services
• Jane Case, protective services
Purpose
Worthwhile
work
Making a
difference
• Patty Garrett, protective services
• Becky Davis, radiology
• Cindy Lemming, acute rehab unit
• Amy Dillon, pharmacy
Featured Headlighter
Brandi Reynolds, Family Medicine Center—
Gas City, gives up vacation time to help a patient
Recently on the Friday before Brandi Reynolds was going
on vacation, she was teaching a patient who was newly diagnosed
with diabetes everything the patient was going to need
to do to manage her blood sugar.
Knowing that it’s an overwhelming amount of information,
Brandi told the patient to call the office if she had any
trouble, and even though Brandi was going on vacation the
next week, she would come in and help the patient until she
felt comfortable.
The patient did indeed
have some trouble
with her glucose meter
and called on Monday.
Without hesitation,
Brandi came in the next
day, while on vacation, to educate and reassure the patient.
This dedication to patient care is why Brandi is a featured
Headlighter.
52
Vim & Vigor · SPRING 2012

Lifetime of Learning
MGH Staff Earn
Professional Certification
Three Marion General Hospital employees
have proved their dedication to providing our
Healthcare Community with the highest level of
quality healthcare. They have chosen to further
their education and advance their knowledge within their
chosen profession. This dedication is demonstrated by their
commitment to study for and pass professional examinations
to become certified.
In healthcare, professional certification helps ensure excellence.
MGH staff members pursue this with enthusiasm.
Joy McFarren, B.S., R.N., CPN, unit shift manager,
pediatrics, is now a certified pediatric nurse. The Pediatric Nursing Certification
Board recently awarded her with the distinction. McFarren has worked at MGH
for 33 years. She is a graduate of Indiana Wesleyan University with a bachelor’s
degree in nursing. McFarren and her husband, Norm, live in Marion. Although she
loves nursing in general, she believes caring for children is her personal ministry.
McFarren has a quote by Forest E. Witcraft, which she cherishes since reading it
several years ago: “A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank
account was, the sort of house I lived in, or what kind of car I drove ... but the
world may be different because I was important in the life of a child.”
Jessica Moses, B.S., R.N., CPN, pediatrics, has attained the distinction
of certified pediatric nurse from the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board.
Moses, who has worked at MGH for nearly 23 years, is a graduate of Indiana
Wesleyan University with a bachelor’s degree in nursing. She and her family reside
in Marion. “I have the greatest job because I love caring for children and feeling
I make a difference in their lives,” she says. “I shared my dream of becoming certified
with my supervisor, Donna Tucker, and she and MGH helped make it happen.”
Her personal goal is to be the best pediatric nurse she can be. This certification
helps that goal become reality.
Heather Grimes, R.N., BSN, OCN, medical oncology, was recently
recertified as an oncology certified nurse by the Oncology Nursing Certification
Corp. “By maintaining my oncology certification, I am able to keep up with all the
new information regarding cancer and cancer treatment,” she says. “That allows
me to provide the best care possible to my patients and their families.” The
16-year MGH employee earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing from Marian
College. The Gas City native currently lives in Marion with her husband, Josh,
and her children.
Vim & Vigor • SPRING 2012 53

Volunteer ServiceS
Fresh Fundraising
Ideas Wanted
A message from MGH Auxiliary president Phil Weck
CALL
Join Our Team
Call MGH Volunteer Services at
765-660-6410 to learn how you
can volunteer at MGH.
Phil Weck
After a break in July and August, the Auxiliary
board met in September with fresh new
ideas to help make Marion General Hospital
the best organization it can be.
Few people may know this, but the board just
made history. When I took over in 2010, I joined my
wife, Janice (McDonald) Weck (1990–92), as the only
husband-and-wife team to serve as president. Also, I
was the first man to be elected president, and another
man, Ron Totten, will take my place.
It is my sincere hope that more volunteers choose
to join the Auxiliary and become board members.
Being on the board allows a person to know fellow
volunteers and form lasting friendships. Also, being
a board member allows you to be more involved with
everything that is happening at MGH.
Our fundraisers will start again in the fall. If you have
suggestions on fundraisers that you’d like us to try, please
see Sheila Stewart, Pam Amburgey, Sally Varner or any
board member. Our Ways and Means chairman, Cathy
Sellers, is always looking for new ideas.
In June, the board will be changing. We will truly
miss those who are leaving, but at the same time, we will
be eager to work with those who have fresh, new ideas
and perspectives.
A list of Auxiliary board members is in several areas
throughout the hospital, including the main hospital
information desk, gift shop, volunteer office and the 330
Building information desk.
With sadness, it is now my time to say goodbye. I wish
incoming president Ron Totten and the 2012 Auxiliary
board the very best in the new year and beyond.
Volunteers of the Month
November: Thelma Hickman—“I like volunteering because I get to be active and have a closer relationship
with others,” says Thelma Hickman, a nine-year volunteer. Hickman can be found working as a chaplain’s
assistant. Before retiring, Hickman worked at RCA (Thomson Consumer Electronics) for 28 years. The Marion
native enjoys working crossword puzzles, reading, going to church and spending time with family.
December: Dorinda Turner—Two-year volunteer Dorinda Turner started volunteering in the emergency
room. “When I retired from Marion Community Schools, it was always my desire to give back to the
community,” she says. Turner moved from New York to Indiana in 1961 and married husband Walt in 1965.
She also is assistant treasurer of the MGH Auxiliary board and volunteers for Special Olympics.
January: Ilse Meurs—Need gift suggestions? Eleven-year volunteer Ilse Meurs is the lady to see in the
MGH Auxiliary gift shop. She’s never met a person without first greeting him or her with a warm, friendly
smile. “I like meeting people and helping whenever I can,” she says. Meurs currently works at Riverview
School in Marion. She has three cats: Mickey, Bandi and Princess.
February: Mildred Shannon—Mildred Shannon started volunteering three years ago as a way to get out
of the house and stay active after retiring from the Marion VA Medical Center Dietetics Department. “I like
to meet people and be helpful,” Shannon says. The Marion native enjoys crocheting, reading and spending
time with her husband, Ray, and their four children, eight grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
Thelma
Hickman
Dorinda
Turner
Ilse Meurs
Mildred
Shannon
54
Vim & Vigor • SPRING 2012

MGH Memorial Garden
Honoring former MGH employees, physicians and volunteers
DONATIONS
The Marion General Hospital Memorial
Garden, in the courtyard east of the
cafeteria, was built in memory of former
Plant Engineering Supervisor Fred
Gause and made possible by a generous donation
and support from the MGH Auxiliary. The garden
honors MGH employees, physicians and volunteers
who have passed away, by displaying their names
and departments on engraved bricks set around the
base of a tranquil fountain.
Honored as of press time are:
• Sara L. Wagner, volunteer
• Marjorie Dickason, volunteer
• Annabel Applegate, nursing
Marion General Hospital
Endowment Fund
In 1994, the Marion General Hospital Endowment Fund was started to accept donations
to support the hospital’s mission and vision for our Healthcare Community. Donations to
the fund are sincerely appreciated. Call 765-662-0065 or mail to:
The Marion General Hospital Endowment Fund
Community Foundation of Grant County, Indiana Inc.
505 W. Third St.
Marion, IN 46952
CALL
Purchase
a Brick
Bricks to honor MGH
employees, physicians
and volunteers who
have passed away can
be purchased for a minimum
donation of $25.
Call Volunteer Services
at 765-660-6410
for more
information.
Vim & Vigor · SPRING 2012 55

Community ConneCtions
Continuous education programs/support groups
Classes
DIABETES
Classes are offered
monthly. Physician
referral is required. For
more information, call
diabetes education at
765-660-6690.
PRENATAL
EDUCATION
Classes provided in
conjunction with
Family Service Society
Inc. Classes are held at
various times throughout
each month. Please
call 765-660-3864 or
visit www.mgh.net
for more information.
SmOkINg
CESSATION
This free five-class
series is cosponsored
by the American
Lung Association.
Call 765-660-6330.
support
Groups
(All support groups
are free)
POSTPARTUm
SUPPORT gROUP
All postpartum families
are welcome. Babies will
be weighed. Specialspeaker
topics will
include nutrition, car
seats and postpartum
depression. Refreshments
will be served.
Call 765-660-6860.
Dates: Meets every
Tuesday
Time: 10:30 a.m.
location: MGH
Fifth Floor, Room C,
441 N. Wabash Ave.
REfLECTIONS
Cancer support group.
Call 765-660-6556.
Dates: Meets the third
Wednesday of each
month
Time: 3 p.m.
location: MGH
Conference
Room E, Fifth Floor,
441 N. Wabash Ave.
Community
serviCe
CAR SEAT SAfETy
Free service for parents
and caregivers
for inspection, fitting
and instructions on
proper installation of
a child car seat. (Both
child and car seat must
be at inspection.) Call
765-660-6860 for
appointment.
Time: By appointment
only
location: MGH
Parking Garage,
441 N. Wabash Ave.
online
For More
Information
Please call the numbers
listed or visit
our website at
www.mgh.net for
information
about any of
our programs.
56
Vim & Vigor • SPRING 2012

Marion General Hospital
441 N. Wabash Avenue
Marion, IN 46952
Non-Profit Org.
US Postage
PAID
Vim & Vigor
TIMELY CARE YOU DESERVE.
WE WILL get you in to see:
(1) your MGH practitioner
(2) the first available MGH practitioner
. . .YOU DECIDE.
WE WILL . . .
° update your MGH
Electronic Health Record
° allow your MGH practitioner
immediate access to your visit results
. . .REST ASSURED.
CALL YOUR
PHYSICIAN’S OFFICE
WE WILL GET YOU IN.