Maryann Blevins chosen as Missouri’s first CDC Childhood Immunization Champion

Maryann Blevins, a family nurse practitioner at CoxHealth, has been chosen as the CDC’s Childhood Immunization Champion in Missouri for 2016. Blevins is the first Missouri-based recipient of the award, which honors individuals who are doing an exemplary job of promoting childhood immunizations in their communities.

Blevins is manager of CoxHealth’s C.A.R.E. Mobile, a clinic-on-wheels sponsored by Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals (CMN) that takes care to outlying rural areas in 32 Missouri counties. Through her collaboration with CMN and the Missouri Department of Health, Blevins leads the administration and evaluation of all Vaccines for Children immunizations administered in those counties.

Because of Blevins’ work, nearly 1,500 children per year receive vaccines. She also reaches children and families living in rural areas by collaborating with school system administrators in these areas: Together, they work on strategies to increase access to vaccines in rural Missouri.

The Childhood Immunization Champion Award is given jointly by the CDC and the CDC Foundation. It is intended to recognize individuals at the state or local level, and awardees were announced during National Infant Immunization Week (April 16-23, 2016).

CoxHealth names new Vice President of Human Resources

Andy Hedgpeth, CoxHealth’s director of Benefits and Employee Relations, has been promoted to Vice President of Human Resources. A search committee conducted an extensive national search for the position, but ultimately decided that Hedgpeth was the best choice.

“I believe there is nothing more important to this organization than our employees, because we cannot provide exceptional care to our patients without an exceptional team,” says Steve Edwards, CoxHealth’s president and CEO. “We wanted to find someone we could trust to care for our employees, and Andy is that person.”

Over the past several years, Hedgpeth has driven several key changes in the organization to improve the employee experience. Some of these initiatives include the launch of 1906 Employee Store, the integration of the system’s wellness program with its health plan, cafeterias and fitness centers, and an increased employer match on CoxHealth’s 403(b) retirement plan.

“Andy is very innovative and we are confident he will continue to be the transformational leader we need now and into the future,” says Edwards.

Hedgpeth joined CoxHealth in 2008 and has worked as compliance coordinator, benefits manager, and director for Benefits and Employee Relations. He is active in several community organizations, and was recently elected as a school board member for Ozark Public Schools.

A lifelong southwest Missouri resident, Hedgpeth is a graduate of Nixa High School, Ozarks Technical Community College and Missouri State University. His bachelor’s degree was in psychology and human resources management, and his Master in Business Administration had an emphasis in Healthcare Management. Both bachelor’s and master’s degrees were conferred by MSU.

Hedgpeth will begin his new duties May 2. 

CoxHealth colleagues take top honors at Salute to Nurses

Teri Haist, Labor and Delivery, was named Nurse of the Year at the Springfield News-Leader’s annual Salute to Nurses on Thursday. Please join us in congratulating her on this outstanding achievement!

Three CoxHealth nurses also took home top awards, including:

Advancement of Nursing Award: Sheila Russell, Nursing Administration

Nurse Educator of the Year: Eric Cantrell, Nursing Education

Inspiration in Nursing Award: Penny Bumgarner, Ozarks Dialysis Services

A total of 11 of our colleagues and students were recognized at the event. The other CoxHealth honorees were:

Cynthia Myler: 700 East

Gina Ellerbee: Nursing Administration

Amy Wissbaum: Springfield Neurological and Spine Institute

Charlotte Lundquist: 300 West Med-Surg

Dana Hyde: Springfield Neurological and Spine Institute

In addition to those nurses, two Cox College students were also presented with awards.

Chaynna Gatton, Cox College student

Rebecca Pitts, Cox College student

Skaggs Classic to support local cardiac and pulmonary rehab patients

Rex Asselin, who had open heart surgery in November 2015, is receiving cardiac rehab services at CoxHealth Cardiac/Pulmonary Rehab in Branson thanks to a scholarship from Skaggs Foundation.

Charity golf tournament returns May 6 to Thousand Hills Golf Resort

Some people dread going to the gym, but not Rex Asselin. Asselin had open heart surgery in November and looks forward to going to CoxHealth Cardiac/Pulmonary Rehab in Branson three times a week for his workouts.

“I feel stronger, healthier and so much better,” Asselin said.

He’s not only grateful to be regaining his health, but he’s thankful for the generosity of others who are making it all possible. Asselin is one of many patients who are able to attend rehab thanks to Skaggs Foundation’s Jan Harper Cardiac Endowment Fund. The scholarship fund makes it possible for patients like Asselin to afford necessary cardiac and pulmonary rehab following an event.

“Without the scholarship funding to be able to attend rehab, I’d be nowhere near where I am today,” he said. “I’m so thankful for the scholarship fund and I’m very grateful for the opportunity to be doing rehab here, where the staff is so caring, compassionate and supportive. It means a lot to me to be able to be here.”

On average, 22 to 30 patients each month are able to receive cardiac and pulmonary rehab services through Cox Medical Center Branson thanks to the scholarship fund.

“We see patients three times a week for 12 weeks and for some patients, their deductible is as high as $50 per visit, so they’d be facing $150 a week out of pocket for rehab,” explains Hollie Holderfield, clinic nurse manager, Cardiac/Pulmonary Rehab. “Many of our patients cannot afford that and without this scholarship, they wouldn’t receive the care and services they need to get stronger and healthier.”

Funds raised during Branson’s Skaggs Classic charity golf tournament will support the cardiac rehab scholarship fund as well as Skaggs Foundation’s area of greatest need fund. Branson’s Skaggs Classic will be held this year on May 6 at Thousand Hills Golf Resort.

Registration is now open for the annual four-person scramble. Corporate sponsored teams are $1,000 or individual players are $250 each. Fees include lunch and beverages as well as appetizers during a silent auction and awards ceremony. The tournament will begin at 1:30 p.m. with a shotgun start.

“Funds raised during Branson’s Skaggs Classic will be used to help improve the health and wellness of many of our friends and neighbors, like Rex Asselin, who without the Skaggs Foundation scholarship, could not afford the cardiac rehab services he needs,” said Meghan Connell, president of the Skaggs Foundation. “We have an incredible event planned this year for our golfers, including the chance to win a boat, thanks to our Hole-In-One-Sponsor, The Harbor Boat & Yacht Sales. We just need sponsors and golfers to come out, have a great time, and support this worthy cause.”

For more information about Branson’s Skaggs Classic, call Skaggs Foundation at 348-8002, email foundation@skaggs.net or to register, visit SkaggsFoundation.org.

Cox Medical Center South receives second Excellence in Eye Donation Award

Saving Sight, one of the largest eye banks in the country, recognized the staff at Cox Medical Center South on Friday, April 15, for their outstanding commitment to donation.

In 2015, staff at Cox Medical Center South helped to facilitate 150 eye donation cases, which resulted in 143 individuals receiving restored sight through a cornea transplant. Overall, the hospital achieved a 60 percent consent rate for eye donation. 

The Excellence in Eye Donation Award was created in 2014 to recognize hospitals that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to eye donation. Fewer than 15 percent of Saving Sight’s partner hospitals will be recognized with a 2015 Excellence in Eye Donation Award. This year marks the second time Cox Medical Center South will receive the honor.

“We applaud Cox Medical Center South for empowering others to give the gift of sight and for striving to create a culture that supports donation,” says Tony Bavuso, CEO of Saving Sight. “Thanks to the generosity of eye donors and their families, and the staff Cox Medical Center South, more people than ever were able to receive a sight-saving cornea transplant last year.”

Each year around 48,000 individuals in the United States require a cornea transplant to restore vision that has been lost due to disease, disorder or injury. With the help of hospital partners like Cox Medical Center South, Saving Sight provided corneas for more than 3,000 of those transplant surgeries in 2015.

Arlene McCormack: 'A vision to be a comfort and a companion'

As we get ready for the 2016 Employee Recognition Banquet on April 21, we asked our colleagues about what drives their passion for health care. Here is one story of Passion and Purpose at CoxHealth:

Arlene McCormack
Oxford Hospice

Growing up as a child in Belize, Arlene McCormack saw her grandmother care for people at all stages of life.

“There were really no nurses,” says Arlene. “My grandmother delivered babies – she did everything. And when someone would die she would bathe them, dress them – whatever was needed. And I was always there with her. So that’s been in me since then.”

When Arlene came to America, it was still her dream to be a nurse. She went to school and started a career as a certified nursing assistant, then became a licensed practicing nurse, then an RN. She worked in all areas of nursing. Along the way she became a hospice volunteer and that’s when her purpose to care for others turned into a passion.

“I saw how the nurses cared for the patients and I knew that is what I wanted to do. My God has turned my knowledge into a vision to be a comfort and a companion, to love those who are leaving this life and to go with dignity and peace.”

Arlene retired a few years ago, but has returned to hospice care as a case manager with Oxford Hospice. She wants to educate people about the value of hospice and encourage other nurses, especially those new to the profession, to consider hospice care as their career.

“This area of nursing is invaluable in our world today. And hospice is about living, it’s not about dying. People hear the word hospice and the first thing they think of is death. I would give anything to change that.”

Brandi Wasson: 'When I'm here, it feels like home'

As we get ready for the 2016 Employee Recognition Banquet on April 21, we asked our colleagues about what drives their passion for health care. Here is one story of Passion and Purpose at CoxHealth:

Brandi Wasson
Si3

Brandi Wasson has been a regular face at CoxHealth for decades: It’s a particularly interesting feat since she’s only 30 years old. Now the systems manager for Si3, Brandi grew up visiting the hospital with her parents, who both worked for the health system in various capacities.

“Ever since I was young, I’ve always been a part of CoxHealth,” says Brandi.

So when it came time for her to look for a job after high school, CoxHealth seemed like a natural choice. “It just felt like an easy decision,” says Brandi. “When I’m here, it just feels like home because I’ve always been around Cox. And I still know people who ‘see’ me still as a little girl.”

She began as a switchboard operator – and did actually quit her job a few years in. But she wasn’t gone for long: After only a month or so, she missed CoxHealth so much that “I came back and filled my own requisition,” she says. And she’s been working in Communications ever since, gradually filling more administrative roles until landing at her current position in 2015.

Her parents are ecstatic, she says, about her career with CoxHealth – and her 5-year-old daughter is already a fan, too. “My daughter loves coming to the office,” says Brandi. “Anytime we see a commercial, she’s like, ‘Mom, there’s your work!’”

It’s clear that both tradition and family are things that impact Brandi’s life and career. But for her, the job is more than simply being a part of CoxHealth. “We don’t maybe have ‘direct’ patient care in our department, but in a way we do,” she says. “We provide a way for patients to communicate with their families and with the outside world. A phone sitting on a desk that we’ve put in does affect a patient.”

Tina LaRose: A drive to be the best for patients

As we get ready for the 2016 Employee Recognition Banquet on April 21, we asked our colleagues about what drives their passion for health care. Here is one story of Passion and Purpose at CoxHealth:

Tina LaRose,
CoxHealth Surgery Center

“You’re going to make a wonderful nurse someday.”

Those words spoken by a family member seemed to have had the power to set the direction of young Tina LaRose’s life. She had actually wanted to be an architect but when she walked into an operating room for the first time as a nursing student, Tina discovered her purpose in life.

“When I graduated and became a full-fledged nurse, the OR is where I went and I have been in the OR ever since. This is what gives me purpose, what gives me my drive to be the best for my patients,” says Tina, a charge nurse at the CoxHealth Surgery Center.

Tina has been at CoxHealth for 18 of her 40 years in nursing. Her passion is to use her skills and experience to reassure her patients that they are in good hands. She learned the importance of good communication to reduce anxiety when she was a patient herself.

“Even being the nurse, knowing that information that a lot of people don’t have from not being in the medical field, I was still frightened of what was going on,” says Tina. “And to have a good nurse to be there to support me and explain things to me so I wasn’t so frightened of what was going on, that is just awesome; to be that confident in your job and your ability to make a person feel they are going to be OK.”

Tina says her colleagues at the surgery center also drive her passion every day as she works alongside “the most extraordinarily talented people” she’s ever known.

“They are an awesome team here that works like a fine-oiled machine,” says Tina. “I am proud to be a surgical nurse and I am proud to be here at the surgery center.”

Rick Boaz: Meeting a community need

As we get ready for the 2016 Employee Recognition Banquet on April 21, we asked our colleagues about what drives their passion for health care. Here is one story of Passion and Purpose at CoxHealth:

Rick Boaz, Pre-Hospital

For Rick Boaz, a passion for health care is driven by a single force: the desire to make a difference in his community.

Rick had never given much thought to health care as a career until he moved to Walnut Grove, where he saw an immediate need. The distance from Springfield meant there could be a wait for an ambulance. Rick volunteered to serve with the local ambulance district, providing basic life support.
“I wanted to do my part in the community, so I started volunteering, not knowing anything,” he says. He became a first responder, then came to CoxHealth in 1997 as an EMT. By 2003, he had become a paramedic and started teaching a wide variety of classes.

“I love teaching with a passion,” Rick says. “We live the dream: We have the opportunity to take a person who is having a crisis and make things better for them.”

Beyond the medical knowledge, Rick says he has a basic message for his students: Treat every patient as you would your father, mother, sister or brother. He recalls picking up patients from Commercial Street and having those patients thank him simply for being nice.

“That tells me that at some time they were not treated very well. That is wrong. Every patient deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.”

“I have a passion for helping others and making a difference in people’s lives,” he says. Rick lives in Bois D’Arc now, and he continues to volunteer with a community ambulance district there.

Rick recalls a time when he was out at dinner and a woman came up and told him he had saved her life. He didn’t recognize her at first, but he soon realized she had been a gunshot victim on a call he responded to.

“I told her, I did some things, but it’s not always in our hands who lives and dies. I did what I was trained to do. Still, when you see people later on and they say thank you – those are always occasions that make you feel really good.”

Amy Duke: Driving the patient experience in Surgery

As we get ready for the 2016 Employee Recognition Banquet on April 21, we asked our colleagues about what drives their passion for health care. Here is one story of Passion and Purpose at CoxHealth:

Amy Duke,
Meyer Orthopedic and Rehabilitation Hospital

Amy Duke remembers the moment she decided she wanted to work in surgery. She was seeing the process firsthand when she had to have an emergency C-section. She asked, “Who are all these people? These can’t all be nurses or doctors.” Her anesthesiologist replied that many were surgical techs. Amy was intrigued.

“I thought, ‘I want to do that. That would be fun,’” she says. “I knew it would never be boring.”

Amy enrolled in the surgical tech program at Ozarks Technical Community College and in 2007 she joined the team in Surgery at Cox South.

She got the full range of experience, from routine surgeries to trauma cases before gravitating to orthopedics. She likes the rhythm of elective ortho cases, and she loves being able to be there for patients.

“When a patient comes in the room, they know they’re in good hands,” Amy says. “I like being a part of the team that helps that patient get back on their feet.”

In many cases, she is one of the last people patients see before they go under for surgery. The vast majority of her patients don’t remember her, but when they do, Amy says it’s “an uplifting event.”

“One patient, all I did was hold her hand and talk to her as she went to sleep. She remembered my name and she wrote me a nice letter and made me a little angel,” Amy says with a smile. “That’s something I’m not going to forget, ever. Surgery is a life-changing event for people and it’s the little things that make a difference. Take time to smile and hold a hand -- remember that they’re human, not just a procedure.”

Debbie Wentler: a passion for women's health

As we get ready for the 2016 Employee Recognition Banquet on April 21, we asked our colleagues about what drives their passion for health care. Here is one story of Passion and Purpose at CoxHealth:

Debbie Wentler,
Breast Care Clinic

Debbie Wentler knows the value of a great patient experience. In her world, making sure patients have a positive experience can save lives.

At CoxHealth’s Breast Care Clinic, where early detection is the name of the game, Debbie hears too often from patients who have delayed getting a mammogram because they had a bad experience in the past.

“I hate hearing that. Every patient I come into contact with, I have the ability to affect their future by the experience they have today. Just knowing I can affect whether that lady comes back next year, which could help us find a small cancer early, is really important to me.”

Debbie is driven daily by a passion for women’s health. Mammograms are an up close and personal exam, and if she can make a patient’s day better or a visit more comfortable, she will.

“It’s all about making this a good experience,” Debbie says. “It may be the 30th mammogram of the day for me, but it’s my patient’s first mammogram of the year. I make it my priority to ensure that from that day forward my patient won’t dread getting a mammogram.”

Debbie says providing a positive patient experience creates a ripple effect. If patients have a good experience, they’ll tell their friends – friends who will be more likely to get their own regular exams.

“When all is said and done, I want to feel like I’ve made a difference. Recently I had a patient who requested me specifically to do her exam. That made me feel good that I had done something right for her!”

CoxHealth hosting free National Healthcare Decisions Day events

Advance directives are something no one wants to think about – but they can be a valuable resource when they’re needed most. In recognition of National Healthcare Decisions Day 2016, CoxHealth is sponsoring two opportunities for people to prepare these documents with the help of professionals. Notaries will also be available free of charge to assist in completing the necessary paper work to assign a Designated Power of Attorney.

“It is important for any adult to have a Designated Power of Attorney because, unfortunately, we never know when something might happen and we are unable to make decisions about our own healthcare,” says Janice Briggs, chronic disease coordinator for CoxHealth. “In my line of work, I’ve seen many people who have been injured or become too ill to make decisions about their own care. When these documents are already in place, it eliminates one more thing for the family to deal with during an already stressful time. For the patient, this ensures you have a voice about your care, even when you can’t make that decision on your own.”

The opportunities to prepare Advance Directives and Designated Power of Attorney will be available on:  

• Wednesday, April 13 from 12 – 6 p.m. at The Library Center (4653 S. Campbell Ave., Springfield)
• Saturday, April 16 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. during Safe and Sound Saturday (Ozark Empire Fairgrounds, 3001 N. Grant Ave., Springfield)  

The service will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis and the process takes about 15 minutes to complete. A valid photo ID is required. Once completed, individuals will receive a notarized copy to distribute to healthcare providers and family members.

 

For more information about this event, call 417-269-3903.

CoxHealth to hold hiring fair for 100 positions

CoxHealth is looking for around 100 people to fill nursing support positions. To fill those jobs, the health system will hold a Hiring Event on Friday, April 15, from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. in Foster Auditorium at Cox South. Interviews will be held that day, and job offers extended on the spot, for the following positons:

• Patient Safety Assistants: extra help and assurance when our patients need constant bedside support
• Nurse Assistants and Psych Techs: clinical support for our nursing staff
• Unit Assistants: non-clinical help for our medical team

 For more information about the event, call 417-269-JOBS.

 

Labor and Delivery nurses presented team DAISY Award

Labor and Delivery nurses were presented a team DAISY Award recently for the care and compassion they showed to an OB patient during a difficult delivery. Pictured, from left, Kylie Mathewson, Stephanie Riffe, Mallory Machen, Lynne Yaggy, Wendy Huston, Kendra DeBoard, Edna Scowden, Jessica Moser and Tracey Williams.

Labor and Delivery nurses were awarded a team DAISY Award for the care and compassion they showed to a patient during a difficult delivery process.

Tracey Williams, MSN, FNP, director of OB Women’s Services, explained that she recently received a letter from Love Basket Adoptions agency, expressing their gratitude for the kindness and compassion shown by OB staff during a recent delivery.

“Love Basket specifically mentioned Kylie Mathewson, Brittany Durrer, Mallory Machen, and Linda Robles and shared how much they appreciated the care these nurses provided their client,” Williams said. “Kylie and Brittany supported the young woman all day during her labor and when the young woman and her mother were about to give up, Kylie and Brittany supported them both in a manner that kept them from giving up. While they were prepared for a cesarean delivery, Kylie and Brittany coached the patient through a vaginal delivery. Kylie and Brittany both understood that the patient will never forget the baby she gave up, but now this young woman will not have to live with the physical reminder on her body each day.”

Williams explained that Mathewson and Durrer both stayed beyond their shifts that day to support the patient through the entire delivery process. After the patient delivered, Machen and Robles, who were the night shift nurses, stepped in and continued to provide compassionate and supportive care to the patient and her family during the difficult time.

“These nurses impacted the care and outcome for my client and forever will be remembered,” the letter from Love Basket stated.

The DAISY Award is an international program that rewards and celebrates the extraordinary clinical skill and compassionate care given by nurses every day.

The not-for-profit DAISY foundation is based in California and was established by family members of a 33-year-old man who died in 1999 from complications from an autoimmune disease. The care he and his family received from nurses while he was ill inspired the DAISY Award, thanking nurses for making a profound difference in the lives of their patients and patient families.

Nominate your nurse for going above and beyond. Nomination forms can be found at any CoxHealth location or online at CoxHealth.com under the Patients and Visitors tab.

Melissa Scott presented DAISY Award for providing exceptional care and comfort to patient

Misty Denevan, RN, BSN, CEN, director of emergency services and critical care, from left, joins Melissa Scott, RN, and Lynne Yaggy, CNO and vice president of clinical services, for a photo after Scott was honored with a DAISY Award.

Melissa Scott is a nurse on the step down unit. She was nominated by a patient for a DAISY Award after demonstrating extraordinary critical thinking skills in an effort to provide exceptional care and comfort.

The patient explained in the nomination form that he had been experiencing tightness in his chest when he was admitted into the hospital.

“I was nauseated, disoriented and obviously having problems,” the patient stated in the nomination form. “Nurse Melissa Scott immediately took charge, calming me down and helping to stabilize me. My wife said she was amazing and resourceful. Melissa was my nurse for one day only but she was my best friend that day, making me feel like I was her only patient.”

“Melissa has an amazing gift for being able to connect with her patients in a way that provides them comfort and peace,” said Misty Denevan, RN, BSN, CEN, director of emergency services and critical care. “Melissa exemplifies the mission and values of Cox Medical Center Branson – to be the best for those who need us, and she is always willing to do whatever that takes.”

Marisa Crotty honored with DAISY Award

Lynne Yaggy, CNO and vice president of clinical services, from left, Marisa Crotty, RN, and Adene Smith, BSN, CNRN, director of medical and surgical units, pose for a photo together after Crotty was presented a DAISY Award.



Marisa Crotty is a nurse on the surgical unit at Cox Medical Center Branson.  She was nominated for a DAISY Award by the daughter of a patient.

“I had many questions regarding my mom’s fractured hip,” the patient’s daughter explained. “When I approached Marisa, she gave me quality time, addressed my concerns and was very informative. This was comforting to me. My main concern was to get my mom’s pain to a tolerable level. Marisa told me how she would address this and then followed through. This young lady quickly earned my respect.”

“Marisa is a great fit for the DAISY Award,” explained Adene Smith, BSN, CNRN, director of medical and surgical units. “Marisa consistently goes above and beyond for her patients to ensure they are as comfortable as possible. She also understands that communication is key when it comes to emotional comfort and Marisa does an outstanding job communicating with both her patients and their family.”

Cox Branson hosting free Healthcare Decisions Day event Saturday

Cox Medical Center Branson, along with other national, state and community organizations, will highlight the importance of advance healthcare decision-making as part of National Healthcare Decisions Day 2016.

On Saturday, April 16, Cox Medical Center Branson is hosting a free event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Outpatient Center lobby, 525 Branson Landing Boulevard, with information about advance care planning and advance directive forms. Notaries will also be available free of charge to assist in completing the necessary paper work to assign a Designated Power of Attorney.

“It is important for any adult to have a Designated Power of Attorney because, unfortunately, we never know when something might happen and we are unable to make decisions about our own healthcare,” explained Allison Robertson, manager of case management. “In my line of work, I’ve seen many people who have been injured or become too ill to make decisions about their own care. When these documents are already in place, it eliminates one more thing for the family to deal with during an already stressful time. For the patient, this ensures you have a voice about your care, even when you can’t make that decision on your own.”

The service will be provided on a first come, first served basis and the process takes about 15 minutes to complete. A valid photo ID is required. Once completed, you will receive a notarized copy to distribute to healthcare providers and family members.

For more information about this event, call 335-7103.

CoxHealth’s Baby Affair this weekend

The excitement of a new bundle of joy means lots of planning and education. To help in those efforts, and have some fun, join CoxHealth for its annual Baby Affair on Saturday, April 16 from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Valet parking will be offered at the West Tower entrance, and the event can be accessed from entrances on the west side of the Cox South campus.  

 This free come-and-go event, designed with all things baby and parenting in mind, is perfect for anyone planning a pregnancy, expecting a baby or is a new parent. Friends and grandparents are welcome, too!  

Participants can enjoy a variety of vendor displays, demonstrations, door prizes, and a raffle benefiting Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals at CoxHealth. Scheduled classes feature topics such as grandparenting, breastfeeding and back-to-work issues, as well as “Baby and Me” exercise.    

Those planning to attend are welcome to bring cloth or disposable diapers – of any brand or size – for the CoxHealth Diaper Drive. All donations collected during the Baby Affair benefit Diaper Bank of the Ozarks.

For further details about the event, contact The Women’s Center at 417-269-LADY.

 

New infertility services coming to CoxHealth

The drive for infertility services is about to get a lot shorter for some Ozarks residents: On April 8, CoxHealth will begin offering infertility appointments with Washington University fertility specialists via telemedicine.

 The new offering is the result of a partnership with CoxHealth and Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Women will meet virtually with the university’s medical team of reproductive endocrinology and infertility specialists through a special telemedicine clinic that will be housed in The Turner Center.

“We’re seeing babies born to women at increasingly later ages, which makes infertility rates increase as well,” says Dr. Staci Niemoth, medical director of Women’s Services at CoxHealth. “That factor makes this type of service more crucial than it’s ever been before.” 

In addition to having local access to these nationally recognized fertility specialists, if a woman decides to pursue infertility treatment the required labs, ultrasounds and medications associated with many treatments can be coordinated in Springfield. Procedures associated with the treatment of infertility, however, would still be done in St. Louis. Having the access to Washington University specialists via telemedicine, and the ability to undergo treatment monitoring from Springfield, should reduce expenses associated with travel and time away from work over the course of treatment.

To schedule an appointment, individuals should call 314-286-2400.

 

CoxHealth to launch fourth annual Diaper Drive

Diapers are a resource that every baby needs, yet they’re something not every family can afford. That’s one reason CoxHealth is launching its fourth annual Diaper Drive on April 1 – and is inviting the community to help make a difference.

 “Providing basic necessities when raising a family can be a challenge,” says Donyta Upton, manager of The Women’s Center at CoxHealth. “For families facing difficult circumstances, having an adequate number of diapers is a big concern. Families often have to prioritize basic living needs, and often diapers fall pretty far down on the list.”   

To help with the need, disposable and cloth diapers can be donated to this drive, which goes until April 30. Diapers will be given to Diaper Bank of the Ozarks in Springfield, Crosslines in Monett, and Jesus Was Homeless in Branson, and in turn will be distributed to local families in need.

Collection boxes will be placed at CoxHeath facilities as well as several area businesses. The drop-off locations include:

• Cox Medical Center South (North Entrance, the West Pavilion and West Tower)
• Cox North Hospital (Outpatient Entrance)
• Hulston Cancer Center
• The Meyer Center
• Cox Medical Center Branson (Cafeteria and the Skaggs Foundation office)
• Cox Monett Hospital
• KOLR-10
• Children’s Orchard
• Hy-Vee
• Great Southern Bank
• University Heights Baptist Church
• Steelman Transportation
• European Wax Center

For additional drop-off locations or further information, please contact The Women’s Center at 417-269-LADY.