Two Internal Medicine Physicians Signed, Will See Patients at TCMH Clinic and Hospital

The Texas County Memorial Hospital has inked contracts with John Carr, MD, and Corinne Rao, MD, internal medicine physicians, board members heard at their monthly meeting on Tuesday.

Carr and Rao, board-certified internal medicine physicians and will practice medicine with inpatients and outpatients at the Medical Office Complex in Houston. They specialize in adult medicine and manage severe long-term illnesses and help patients with multiple, complex chronic conditions.

Carr is a graduate of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine in Miami, FL.  He completed his residency at the University of Missouri Health Care University Hospital in Columbia, MO.

Rao is a graduate of the Christian Medical College in Vellore, India.  She completed her residency at St. Mary’s Health Center in St. Louis, MO.

“Dr. Carr and Dr. Rao will practice medicine in Houston several days each month along with seeing patients in the hospital,” Stace Holland, TCMH chief executive officer said. “They will be essential to our intensive care unit, and we are very excited to have them both at Texas County.”

Both Carr and Rao’s tentative start dates to begin seeing patients at the clinic is in May. In addition, Carr works as a hospitalist at Phelps Health Regional Medical Center in Rolla.  Rao owns Legacy Locums, LLC and works as a hospitalist at other medical centers.

Helania Wulff, TCMH director of physician recruitment, detailed current recruiting efforts. A board-certified general surgeon who specializes in minimally invasive and advanced endoscopic surgery visited the hospital this week from Louisiana. In addition, two family medicine physicians who intend to practice obstetrics as part of a future practice will visit the hospital in April and May.

“We are actively seeking additional physicians,” Wulff said. “Screening interviews are ongoing with potential candidates.”

April Crites, TCMH quality and risk management director, presented the recent patient satisfaction scores.  She commended the hospital’s housekeeping department for continually excelling with hospital cleanliness which consistently receives high patient satisfaction scores.

“Our housekeeping department outperforms all the other hospitals in our region,” Crites said. “They had another two percent increase regionally from last month’s report.”

Crites said the reporting also reflected great doctor communication scores with our medical surgical patients and outstanding scores for labor and delivery patients.

Holland provided an update on the new surgery center project that has been years in the making.

“We received a notice to proceed, and the surgery center project started on March 20 with a targeted completion date of October,” Holland said. “This project represents a significant step in our mission to provide top-notch medical care while we attract talented physicians to our hospital.”

According to Holland, several individuals and funding sources came together to make the surgery center a reality and the hospital is looking forward to the positive impact it will have on the lives of our patients and community.

Holland shared that the hospital was awarded an emergency medical services (EMS) grant. “This EMS grant will provide funds for Toughbook laptops, a portable ventilator, and lift belts for the hospital’s ambulances,” Holland said. “The addition of these tools will enhance our patient’s quality of care.”

According to Holland, TCMH received a new pulmonary function test (PFT) machine which was purchased with Covid funds two years ago and just arrived at the hospital. The new machine provides the cardiopulmonary department with more options for lung diagnostic testing.

“This machine will be a great tool for physicians and practitioners for diagnosis of restrictive and obstructive lung conditions,” Holland said. “It offers state of the art science, precise calculations, and detailed reporting with non-invasive tests that show how well the lungs are working.”

Holland shared about the new swing bed program enhancements on the medical surgical floor including increased rehabilitation therapy with inpatients and a new swing bed graduate program.  “The increased rehabilitation therapy allows our patients to get involved with activities that will get them up and exercising. It has already proven to be great for our patient’s recovery and their 24-hour day doesn’t seem so burdensome.” he said.

“We are also very excited about the hospital’s new swing bed graduate program that has been launched recently,” Holland said. “Our patients seem to really enjoy receiving a graduation shirt and their photo taken, along with recognition for completing the program and the ability to go home with improved recovery.”

Linda Pamperien, TCMH chief financial officer, presented the financial report for the month of February.

“Our outpatient revenue was down $1,062,569 for the month from our budgeted expectations. Most of the decrease was driven from emergency room visits being lower for February,” Pamperien reported. “This also affected our ancillary departments such as radiology and laboratory.”

Expenses at the hospital were also down due to lower volumes, but the hospital ended the month of February with a negative bottom line of $389,474 and a year-to-date loss of $646,886.

Forvis, the hospital’s auditing firm out of Springfield, was on site last week to complete the field portion of the annual audit.  The annual audit report will be presented at the April board of trustees meeting.

Holland presented a certificate of appreciation to Jay Loveland, retiring board of trustees member, for his dedication and commitment while serving on the board for the past six years.

“I am super proud of the leadership team and believe we have good leaders in place to carry the hospital forward,” Loveland said. “It has been my pleasure to serve this hospital, staff, and community.”

Present at the meeting were Holland; Wulff; Crites; Pamperien; Courtney Owens, chief nursing officer; Tricia Benoist, MD, chief of staff; board members, Jay Loveland; Joleen Durham; Jim Perry, OD; Steve Pierce; and via teleconference Allen Branstetter.

The next meeting of the TCMH board of trustees is Tuesday, April 25 at 12 p.m. in the hospital board room.