The management structure of UMMC’s University Physicians is being updated to ensure delivery of the very best patient-centered, physician-led care.

It’s a change that UMMC employees who are patients won’t notice when they have an appointment at any of the University Physicians practice sites, but they and all who visit UP’s more than 630 physicians and advanced practice health-care providers will nevertheless benefit.

“What we hope this will do is reorganize the clinical enterprise in a way that there is truly a physician voice and leadership in all of the areas that touch our patients when they walk into any clinical area – and everywhere that our patients are cared for, and where our providers practice,” said Dr. Diane Beebe, professor and chair of the Department of Family Medicine.

“Decisions that are made behind the scenes, whether they be scheduling or policies and protocol, affect the ability of our providers to give the best patient care. We hope this will create a seamless communication and collaboration between all of our areas.”

The changes include formation of a new Council of Clinical Chairs composed of the 17 clinical department chairs in the School of Medicine. Representing the chairs as chief physician executive and serving as their “managing partner” is Dr. Scott Stringer, professor and chair of the Department of Otolaryngology and Communicative Sciences. Stringer was the unanimous choice of the department chairs to lead the council.

“Health care is changing so fast, and we have to adapt,” Stringer said. “At this point, a new structure is the best way to have the best patient-centered, physician-led, and professionally managed care. Otherwise, you can have management and physicians going in different directions, and not the most high-quality care.”

The last thing Jennifer Mooney expected was for her best friend since third grade, a wonderful guy who specialized in making people laugh, to die by suicide.

But that’s what happened in 2007, the year after she left Natchez to begin college. Her friend, Todd Lipscomb, remained home in Vidalia, La., just across the river.  

“When I heard the news, I couldn’t believe it. He was the funniest, sweetest, kindest person you ever met. That’s what shocked everybody,” said Mooney, a research technician in UMMC’s Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology.

Dr. James E. Keeton, vice chancellor for health affairs and dean of the School of Medicine, will conduct a town hall meeting for all UMMC faculty and staff Tuesday, Nov. 4, at noon in R-153 (the lower amphitheater).  This is the first of two “all-UMMC” town halls scheduled for this year in which Keeton will entertain questions from the audience on a wide range of topics.

The meeting will be videotaped and posted on the UMMC Intranet.

A number of interesting events is scheduled for the upcoming week at the Medical Center.

The Medical Center is proud to acknowledge those employees who will celebrate service anniversaries this week:

30 Years

* Margaret Jackson, researcher, Microbiology

20 Years

* Wayne Eubanks, officer, Campus Police
* Bennie Harris, researcher, Plastic Surgery
* Regenia Hogan, nurse, Wiser Hospital Ante Partum

15 Years

* Amber Arnold, patient safety officer, Chief Medical Officer
* Jolie Dantonio, nursing shift supervisor, Batson Children’s Hospital Administration
* Eureaka Robinson, dental hygienist, Advanced General Dentistry

10 Years

* Sylvia Barker, medical laboratory technician, Division Lab Med-Reference
* Floy Eiler, security guard, Campus Police
* Jason Green, data security engineer, Integrity and Compliance

5 Years

* Melissie Gatlin, EHR deficiency analyst, Health Information Management
* Marcus Harris, patient care technician, 2 Children’s
* Rosalind Jaynes, patient placement supervisor, Patient Transfer and Flow
* Judy Taylor, administrative assistant, Pharmacy