Mercy Health Love County - News

Press Release Archive

Frazier Retires After 34 Years With Hospital

Thursday, December 1st, 2011

 

Fond Farewell -- Charlene Frazier, with husband Jimmie, retired after 34 years with Love County Health Center and Mercy Health/Love County.
 

After 34 years, Charlene Frazier has ended her career as business office director at Mercy Health/Love County.

 
About 50 coworkers honored her at a surprise retirement party at the hospital in November.
 
The handful of coworkers who have worked longer talked about Frazier’s love for people and her quiet constancy.
 
“She has been a...

Hospital Launches Electronic Medical Record

Thursday, November 10th, 2011

 
Super Users of Epic System: Connie Graham (center) introduces registered nurses Kim Collins (l) and Katherine Miller to the Epic electronic health record system during training at Mercy Health/Love County.
 
 
Paperless Recordkeeping: Linda Dixon, health information manager, shows how the paper record of a typical hospital stay has been reduced from hundreds of pages (right) to seven. Those seven are patient signature pages. They are scanned to become part of a fully electronic...

Economic Impact of Health Sector of Love County Revealed

Tuesday, November 1st, 2011

A recent seminar at Mercy Health/Love County Hospital for 40 community leaders from throughout the county brought an awareness of the tremendous importance of medical and health care services in Love County. 

This sector creates jobs, especially at hospitals and nursing homes, which employ lots of people. We have one hospital and one nursing home in Love County. Also here are two clinics, two pharmacies, a dental office, an optometrist office, and a county health office.
 
In dollars and...

Hospital Pharmacist Wins State Award

Thursday, October 13th, 2011

Dorothy Gourley, Registered Pharmacist

Hospital pharmacist Dorothy Gourley received the Bowl of Hygeia Award from the Oklahoma Pharmacists Association during the OPHA 2011 state convention.
 
Bowl of Hygeia is the highest award for community service from Oklahoma pharmacists. “It’s prestigious. I am extremely grateful to have been chosen by my peers,” Gourley said.
 
Gourley has been serving Mercy Health/Love County since 1984, first as resident pharmacist and presently as consultant...

School Nurse Brings Health Focus to Kids

Thursday, September 15th, 2011

 

Temp in the A Range: School nurse Sheila Nipp, R.N., take the temperature of Turner School third grader Luke O'Dell. 

Nurse Wears All School Colors: School nurse Sheila Nipp, R.N., center, visits with Marie Ross, R.N., hospital director of nursing (left) and clinic nurse Teresa Steen, R.N.

 

Mercy Health/Love County has hired Sheila Nipp, R.N., to enhance children’s health as a school nurse. 

The school nurse is a new community service of the hospital/clinic in partnership with...

Food Pantry Sets New Giving Record

Thursday, September 15th, 2011

 

At the food pantry operated by co-workers of Mercy Health/Love County Hospital, Clinic, and EMS in Marietta, a record 8,373 food packages were given out in the first six months of 2011.

The old record was 7,716 packages in the first six months of 2010.

The pantry is helping supplement the food needs of an average 1,400 households per month in 2011, compared to 1,300 in 2010, 1,100 in 2009, and 1,000 in 2008, said Ann Langston, the hospital’s pantry representative.

Clients receive one...


Clinic’s New Doctor: From Firefighter To Flight Surgeon To Family Practice

Friday, August 19th, 2011

 

Paul Nioce, M.D.

Paul Nioce, M.D., the hospital/clinic’s new physician, can be forgiven should he feel out of uniform.
 
Until now, the uniformed services have dominated his career.
 
After five years as a professional firefighter in Topeka, Kansas, and three years as a U.S. Air Force flight surgeon, in July he took his first job as a civilian doctor.
 
 “Getting dressed in the morning used to be easy. Lately, I’ve had to buy more clothing and start thinking about what to wear,”...

Hospital Gardens Beautify Entry

Friday, August 12th, 2011

 

Betty Galloway, R.N. admires a new garden at Mercy Health/Love County. She has been a coworker since 1972, the year the hospital opened.
 
 
Pretty and practical landscaping has put a finishing touch on the newly-renovated front entrance of Mercy Health/Love County Hospital, Clinic, and EMS.
 
Visitors enjoy a view of three small gardens while strolling along the glassed-in walkway leading into the hospital and clinic buildings.
 
The overall design evokes a creek bed, according...

Church Aids Hospital Food Pantry

Friday, July 29th, 2011

Food and Funds:

Hospital administrator Richard Barker (right) receives dozens of food items contributed by the Vacation Bible School youngsters of First Christian Church (Disciples), and a $500 check for pantry purchases from the Outreach Committee of the church, represented by Darlene Beardsley, also Hospital Board president; Mackenzie Hartman, church Board member; and
Rev. J. Alexander.

Hospital/EMS Offering EMT-Basic Course

Friday, July 15th, 2011

 

An Emergency Medical Technician (EMT-Basic) course will be offered by Mercy Health/Love County EMS starting August 22. Classes will be held on Tuesday and Thursday from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. until February at the EMS training center at the hospital.

An entrance exam is required, according to EMS training officer Natasha West, who will teach the course. Applicants must be age 18 and have a high school diploma. Love County residents may apply for scholarships.

Information about tuition and...


Hospital Tower Boosting Ham Radio

Thursday, July 7th, 2011

Radio Chatter:

Dr. J.T. O’Connor, Jr., discusses the hospital/EMS emergency communications system with David Bond, emergency coordinator of amateur radio in Love County. Licensed ham radio operators like Dr. O’Connor use the system as backup for reaching ambulances when telephone or cellphone service is knocked out.
 

Emergency radio operations are getting a boost from a 70-foot repeater tower installed recently on the grounds of Mercy Health/Love County Hospital, Clinic, and EMS. 

The...

Desire for Clinic, ER Medicine Attracts New PA

Friday, June 10th, 2011

 
 
Manuel Flores, P.A. (Physician Assistant)
 
In his job at Mercy Health/Love County in Marietta, Manuel Flores, physician assistant, may have found the best of all worlds.
 
Days in the clinic, nights in the emergency room – the mix of medical settings satisfies the new P.A.’s background and interests.
 
“I was at a clinic in Marshall County for 15-plus years, but I like the ER a lot and wanted to get back into it. This place offered me both and I really like being here,” he...

Love County Receives Nutrition and Fitness Grant

Thursday, May 19th, 2011

The Love County Community Coalition (LCCC) has been awarded a “Fit Communities” grant to bring healthy food and physical activity opportunities to local communities. 

The award, $90,000, will be shared with Fit Communities partner, the Tishomingo Development Team (TDT). 
 
It will cover a 15-month period, starting July 1, for assessing the local nutrition and fitness efforts and capabilities of each county and making plans for new opportunities.
 
With success in the start-up period,...

Pancake Supper Crowd Flips Over Local Doctor's Magic Tricks

Friday, March 25th, 2011

Pick a Card: Ashton McGill draws from the deck of magic cards offered by Dr. Stephen Hutchins as Kyle Reed and Hailey Dasilva, age 8 (left), look on at the Lions Club Pancake Supper.

Magic tricks, performed by Dr. Stephen Hutchins, provided entertainment at the recent Lions Club pancake supper. 

The long-time Mercy Health/Love County physician went table-to-table with magic playing cards, disappearing coins, interlocking rings, and the mysterious toy guillotine that easily sliced through...

Healthy Foods at Marietta Homeland Made Easier to Find

Thursday, March 10th, 2011

 

Guiding Stars: Mercy Health/Love County dietary manager Valerie DeFoor, left, her daughter, Bailey Daugherty, and registered dietician Janet Charalampous look over a 3-star cereal at Homeland Grocery. Through store signage and shelf tags next to the price, the Guiding Stars system identifies healthier food products with 1, 2, or 3 stars. Items that are high in calories and low in nutrition display 0 stars.

 
Are you looking for healthy foods at Homeland Grocery?
 
Follow the...

Love County System of Care Aiding Troubled Youth, Families

Thursday, February 17th, 2011

 
Care for Love County: Ron Beach of Thackerville joined Pam Kerkstra, program manager of Love County System of Care, in an interview with KXII’s Keith Moon. They explained how local parents may call for assistance for their children, ages 0 to 21, with behavioral or mental health issues.
 
Children and youth with behavioral or mental health issues can experience success in their communities, homes, and schools.
 
Their parents and siblings can emerge from trying times and thrive.

Fitness Trainer Rolls Out Exercise Class Schedule

Thursday, February 17th, 2011

 
Talk about hoppin’ to it!
 
When a community group recommended last month that exercise classes would be welcome in Love County, Stacy Redwine came running.
 
The athletic and energetic newcomer to the Eastman community announced to the Love County Community Coalition last week that Marietta Fitness Co. will open on Feb. 28 at 304 W. Main.
 
“I’ll be offering classes for adults, seniors, and children and doing private training in personal fitness,” Redwine said.
 
Redwine has a...

Group Going for Health, Fitness Grant

Thursday, January 27th, 2011

Going for Grant: Area health administrator Mendy Spohn hears about health and fitness programs and goals for Love County during a public "brainstorming" session at Mercy Health/Love County. The hospital hosted the event with a luncheon in its new therapy building conference room.
 
About 50 local individuals and organizations already engaged or interested in helping people get fit, eat nutritiously, and reduce stress recently held a brainstorming session.
 
They are pursuing a...

New Hospital Specialist Focuses on Quality Care

Thursday, January 13th, 2011

 

Danny Dvorak, R.N.
 
Is care from the hospital pleasing to patients and major payers, such as Medicare/Medicaid?
 
A new hospital specialist, Danny Dvorak, R.N., is in charge of analyzing quality and reporting results.
 
What Patients Think
“Satisfaction surveys can really help us improve the quality of patient care and treatment and I want their honest opinion. If there’s something they dislike, I want them to feel free to write it out and remain anonymous,” Dvorak said.
 
The...

Dr. Hutchins Celebrates National Membership

Friday, January 7th, 2011

 

Dr. Stephen Hutchins

Stephen Hutchins, M.D., from Mercy/Health Love County has completed continuing medical education requirements to retain membership in the American Academy of Family Physicians, the only medical specialty organization devoted solely to primary care.
 
To be members of the AAFP, family physicians must complete 150 hours of continuing medical education every three years to learn the most up-to-date treatments, technologies, and medical research.
 
Family...