Murfreesboro, TN - Middle Tennessee Medical Center (MTMC) has pledged $50,000 over the next five years to the Interfaith Dental Clinic for its recently opened Rutherford County facility and capital campaign. Interfaith Dental helps restore, protect and improve the oral health of uninsured, low-income, working people and the elderly through access to affordable quality dental care and education.
Gordon Ferguson, president and CEO at MTMC and Timm Glover, vice president of mission and leadership formation at MTMC, presented Dr. Rhonda Switzer, executive director of the Interfaith Dental Clinic of Rutherford County with a check for the pledge amount on April 30.
“Access to dental care is one of the top needs in the communities we serve,” said Ferguson. “Dental care often helps in detecting other diseases and our partnership with the newly opened Interfaith Dental Clinic further supports our mission of serving the most vulnerable and improving the health of individuals across Rutherford and surrounding counties.”
The Nashville clinic has seen close to 200 Rutherford County residents over the past couple years, recording more than 700 appointments, with more residents on the appointment waiting list every day. The increased drive time added to patients’ financial and access burden.
The new clinic, located on 210 Robert Rose Drive in Murfreesboro, will house a board room named in honor of Middle Tennessee Medical Center’s gift and advocacy partnership.
The Interfaith Dental Clinic is a 501(c)(3) program founded to bring people of all faiths together in a healing ministry, serving the working poor through quality, comprehensive dental care. The clinic does not see walk-in patients, and the current waiting period for new patient visits is 8-10 weeks. For more information, please visit http://www.interfaithdentalclinic.com/.
Murfreesboro, TN - Middle Tennessee Medical Center (MTMC) recently held a luncheon at Stones River Country Club in Murfreesboro, Tenn., to honor the hospital’s volunteers as part of celebrating Volunteer Appreciation Month.
Approximately 80 people attended the 2012 Volunteer Appreciation and Award Ceremony which recognized the outstanding service volunteers provide to the hospital. Every day, volunteers unselfishly donate extensive hours to MTMC through many different types of service ranging from staffing front desks throughout the hospital and providing vital services at nurses’ stations to assisting with process improvement initiatives.
The Daughters of Charity Distinguished Service Award is the highest honor presented to a volunteer. This year, MTMC presented the award to Ruth Gilliam, who has volunteered more than 5,000 hours at the hospital. A volunteer since 2000, Gilliam spends most of her volunteer time presiding over coffee duties, delivering flowers and assisting with mailings and other needed tasks. Her husband, Bob Gilliam, is also a volunteer at MTMC and works in the Wellness Center.
Carolyn Davenport received the 2012 Volunteer of the Year Award. Davenport was chosen by her peers for being a kind, loving person and always ready to help others. Since she joined MTMC as a volunteer in August 2008, she has volunteered more than 1,600 hours. Davenport works regularly in the gift shop and has helped greet guests at the Bariatric Center.
Judy Overall, the 2011 Daughter of Charity Award winner, was recognized as the volunteer with the most hours of service. Overall, she has volunteered more than 18,000 hours of service at MTMC.
"Each volunteer has a unique gift and they are vital in every aspect of our organization, including creating a warm, friendly environment,” said Anne Davis, MTMC Foundation senior development officer, who oversees the volunteer program. "Volunteers make a positive difference at MTMC. They are your friends and neighbors, who are here because they have a heart to help others. We are blessed to have both college age volunteers and more mature, retired or semi-retired participants."
More than 40 new volunteers were on board at MTMC in 2011, including a number of pre-med, pre-nursing and pre-pharmacy students from Middle Tennessee State University, Belmont University and Lipscomb University. Volunteers are placed in various departments at MTMC, including the Wellness Center, Dispensary of Hope, Cancer Center, Diabetes Center, Imaging, Bariatric Center, nursing units, emergency department, pastoral care, LEAN process improvement department and pharmacy and as shuttle drivers, mail and coffee deliverers and gift shop workers. In addition, many volunteers knit baby blankets, caps, bears and puppets for patients and several church groups participate with donations for the hospital critical care unit waiting room guests.
During the 2011 Fiscal Year, volunteers at MTMC gave 17,312 hours of service. According to a new report by the Independent Sector, the dollar value of an hour of volunteer time is estimated at $21.79. Based on the number of volunteer hours at MTMC for Fiscal Year 2011, those hours would be valued at more than $377,000.
To join the volunteer program at MTMC or obtain more information, visit www.MTMC.org/volunteer.php or contact Anne Davis at 615-396-4809 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
About Middle Tennessee Medical Center
Middle Tennessee Medical Center (MTMC) is a member of Saint Thomas Health, Middle Tennessee’s faith-based, not-for-profit health care system with more than 6,500 associates. Saint Thomas Health is focused on transforming the health care experience and helping people live healthier lives, with special attention to the poor and vulnerable. The regional health system includes – Baptist Hospital, Saint Thomas Hospital and The Hospital for Spinal Surgery in Nashville, Middle Tennessee Medical Center in Murfreesboro and Hickman Community Hospital in Centerville – and a comprehensive network of affiliated joint ventures, medical practices, clinics and rehabilitation facilities. Saint Thomas Health is a member of Ascension Health, the largest Catholic, not-for-profit health system in the United States. For more information, visit www.mtmc.org or www.sths.com.
Murfreesboro, TN - Middle Tennessee Medical Center (MTMC) today unveiled a special wall display featuring photos of some of the neonatal intensive care unit’s (NICU) tiniest patients who have now blossomed into flourishing children.
A ceremony and reception were held to celebrate the occasion. The children featured on the display, their parents, NICU nurses and members of MTMC leadership were among the attendees. Sara E. Rose of Sara Rose Photography in Murfreesboro, Tenn., who photographed the children for the display, also attended the event.
“These photographs are a testament to the strength and value of the babies we care for, the faith and support of their families and the skill and compassion of MTMC’s nurses and doctors,” said Janet McIntosh, director of nursing for the maternal child division at MTMC. “We share these stories of survival and growth so others can have hope.”
The special display hangs in the NICU waiting room located in MTMC’s Maternal Infant Services department on the third floor of the hospital. Children featured on the display include:
- Kendri Davis – born at 29 weeks, weighing 3 pounds, 0.7 ounces, she spent 71 days in the NICU
- Brandon Greene – born at 30 weeks, weighing 3 pounds, 1 ounce, he spent 60 days in the NICU
- Logan Greene – born full-term with lung complications and spent nine days in the NICU at MTMC
- Noah Klepper – a twin born at 30 weeks, weighing 3 pounds, 12 ounces, he was in the NICU for 36 days
- Sydney Klepper – a twin born at 30 weeks, weighing 2 pounds, he spent 56 days in the NICU
- Chandler Lilly – a twin born at 27 weeks, weighing 2 pounds, 7 ounces, he was in the NICU for 83 days
- Chase Lilly – a twin born at 27 weeks, weighing 2 pounds, 4 ounces, he spent 78 days in the NICU
- Caleb Lockley – born at 27 weeks, weighing 2 pounds, 5.6 ounces, he was in the NICU for 72 days in the NICU
- Sydney Robertson – born at 30 weeks, weighing 3 pounds, 1 ounce, she spent 35 days in the NICU
- Michael Robertson – born at 28 weeks, weighing 2 pounds, 2 ounces, he spent 84 days in the NICU
“Because we operate as a level III-A NICU, we care for some of the most critically ill newborns in an intensive care setting,” said Dr. Jenny Ravenscroft, a neonatologist at MTMC. “We are so blessed to be able to provide such a high level of care right here at home and help give children like these a chance at happy, healthy lives.”
MTMC has a 16-bed neonatal intensive care unit, the only NICU in Rutherford County, providing subspecialty care for patients with severe and complicated neonatal disorders, as well as those who require normal or intermediate care. As a level III-A NICU, care is provided for infants born at more than 28 weeks gestation and weighing more than 1,000 grams or approximately two pounds. Level III-A units also have the capability to provide sustained conventional mechanical ventilation and perform minor surgical procedures.
“Though we are lucky to have NICUs as technologically advanced as ours at MTMC, there is still much to learn in order to prevent birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality,” said McIntosh. “That’s why it is so crucial for us to bring awareness to prematurity and we do that in many ways from prenatal education to supporting the Rutherford County March of Dimes March for Babies every spring."
MTMC is the leader in childbirth services for Rutherford and surrounding counties. The hospital offers comprehensive childbirth services, from helping mothers who are “at-risk” deliver their babies safely to providing a team of nurses and physicians to care for the hospital’s tiniest patients. At MTMC, a neonatologist, obstetrics physician and anesthesia coverage are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
MTMC has seen a steady annual increase in babies born over the past three years with a record 2,613 births in 2011 and the number is still growing. In addition, MTMC cared for more babies in its NICU during 2011.
“That growth is continuing into 2012 as we’ve delivered more babies each month this year over last year,” added McIntosh. “Patients recognize the expertise and care of our nursing staff and physicians and that we’re providing it right here in their community, closer to home.”
For more information about childbirth services at MTMC, visit www.mtmc.org/childbirth.
About Middle Tennessee Medical Center
Middle Tennessee Medical Center is a member of Saint Thomas Health, the market share leader in Middle Tennessee and a faith-based health ministry with more than 6,500 associates. Saint Thomas Health’s regional health system consists of five hospitals – Baptist and Saint Thomas Hospitals and The Center for Spinal Surgery in Nashville, Middle Tennessee Medical Center in Murfreesboro and Hickman Community Hospital in Centerville – and a comprehensive network of affiliated joint ventures in diagnostics, cardiac services and ambulatory surgery as well as medical practices, clinics and rehabilitation facilities. Saint Thomas Health is a member of Ascension Health, a Catholic organization that is the largest not-for-profit health system in the United States. For more information, visit www.mtmc.org or www.sths.com.
Nashville, TN - Rutherford County residents are invited to join employees at Saint Thomas Heart at Middle Tennessee Medical Center and Friends of the Greenway in ditching their desks and participating in the American Heart Association's National Walking Day event on April 13th.
It’s all part of the association’s effort to beat the number 1 killer, heart disease. Research shows that exercising for as little as 30 minutes each day can reduce risk, and one hour of moderate to vigorous exercise can add up to two hours of additional lifespan. The association recommends at least 150 minutes per week of moderate to vigorous physical activity.
Dr. Britt Mioton of Saint Thomas Heart at Middle Tennessee Medical Center will speak to walk participants, and MTMC will be providing a limited number of heart-healthy lunches.
When: April 13, 2012, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The actual walk starts at 11:45 a.m.
Where: Middle Tennessee Medical Center in front of the DePaul Building. The walk will take place on the Greenway. If weather does not cooperate, the walk will be moved inside to the treadmills at the new Wellness Center in the DePaul Building.
Saint Thomas Heart at Middle Tennessee Medical Center is the local cause sponsor for the My Heart. My Life. movement and the Rutherford Heart Walk.
Murfreesboro, TN - Middle Tennessee Medical Center’s Mobile Health Unit and Saint Thomas Health’s “Our Mission in Motion” mobile mammography coach will offer health screenings and mammogram screenings at various times and locations in Rutherford County during the month of April.
- Thursday, April 12, 8 a.m. to noon, Franklin Heights Family Learning and Resource Center
MTMC’s Mobile Health Unit, in collaboration with Saint Thomas Health Corporate and Community Medicine, The Guidance Center, will offer free health screenings only to adults 18 or older. The general wellness screening includes height, weight, blood pressure and comprehensive lab work only. All participants are asked to fast for 10-12 hours prior to conducting their screening, drink plenty of water and continue medications as normal. Patients with diabetes do not need to fast. The lab work will test heart, liver and kidney function and cholesterol, glucose, iron, sodium and potassium levels.
- Friday, April 20 at 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., YMCA Murfreesboro Grand Re-opening Event, 205 North Thompson Lane
Saint Thomas Health’s “Our Mission in Motion” mobile mammography coach, made possible through support from Susan G. Komen and Power of Pink, will provide screening mammograms to women over 40 and participants must meet the following criteria:
- Not experiencing any breast problems (pain, lump, etc.)
- No personal history of breast cancer
- Not being followed by a physician for breast problems
- Not pregnant
- A year since last mammogram
Mammogram participants are asked to notify health professionals of breast implants or any previous benign breast biopsy. The day of the event, women receiving a mammogram screening are asked to wear a two-piece outfit, sleeves that can be rolled up and avoid using deodorant, perfume, powders or ointments that may interfere with the X-rays. All health insurance plans are accepted at Saint Thomas Health’s “Our Mission in Motion” mobile mammography coach and financial assistance is available to those who qualify.
- Saturday, April 21, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., YMCA Murfreesboro Grand Re-opening Event, 205 North Thompson Lane
MTMC’s Mobile Health Unit will provide free blood pressure and glucose checks, as well as tours of the mobile unit.
The Mobile Health Unit is in service four days a week. For more information on the unit and free community events, please visit www.mtmc.org/mobileHealth.php. For more information on Our Mission in Motion, visit www.ourmissioninmotion.com.
Nashville, TN – Middle Tennessee Medical Center (MTMC), in collaboration with Saint Thomas Health, is offering Cancer Transitions: Moving Beyond Treatment, a free six-week workshop designed to help cancer patients make the transition from active treatment to post treatment care.
The sessions will take place one evening a week beginning May 1 through June 5 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the MTMC Wellness Center located in the Seton Medical Office Building on the MTMC campus. Advance registration for the series is required.
The Cancer Transitions program features expert panelists, including physicians, nutritionists and fitness experts from MTMC, who will discuss exercise tailored to each participant’s abilities, training in relaxation and stress management and tips for nutritious eating. It will also provide patients with practical tools and resources to formulate a personal action plan for survivorship beyond their participation in the courses.
The program will cover the following topics
- Session 1: Get Back to Wellness: Take Control of Your Survivorship
- Session 2: Exercise for Wellness: Customized Exercise
- Session 3: Emotional Health and Well-Being: From Patient to Survivor
- Session 4: Nutrition Beyond Cancer
- Session 5: Medical Management Beyond Cancer: What You Need to Know
- Session 6: Life Beyond Cancer
Featured speakers will include MTMC clinical nutritionist Jennifer Hartman, Dr. Yanjun Ma, a medical oncologist with MTMC and Tennessee Oncology, and MTMC exercise physiologist Tony Mitchell.
The Cancer Transitions program was made possible through a grant from LIVESTRONG and The Cancer Support Community. In June 2011, Saint Thomas Health was honored with a Community Impact Project Award and received a financial reward to implement a sustainable program dedicated to creating cancer support programs for the Middle Tennessee community. Cancer Transitions classes are being held at all of Saint Thomas Health’s hospitals, including Saint Thomas Hospital, Middle Tennessee Medical Center and Baptist Hospital.
For more information on the Cancer Transition program and registration, please contact Erin Walters at (615) 222-3299 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
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Murfreesboro, TN - Middle Tennessee Medical Center’s Mobile Health Unit, in collaboration with Saint Thomas Health, MissionPoint Health Partners, Our Mission in Motion and The Guidance Center, is pleased to offer free health screenings and mammogram screenings Monday, March 26 from 8 a.m. to noon at Murfreesboro Habitat for Humanity, 850 Mercury Blvd.
The health screening service is available to adults 18 or older and includes height, weight, blood pressure and comprehensive lab work. All participants are asked to fast for 10-12 hours prior to conducting their screening. Participants are asked to drink plenty of water and continue medications as normal. Diabetics do not need to fast. The lab work will test heart, liver and kidney function and cholesterol, glucose, iron, sodium and potassium levels.
Our Mission in Motion mobile mammography coach, with support from Susan G. Komen and Power of Pink, will provide mammograms to women over 40 and participants must meet the following criteria:
- Not experiencing any breast problems (pain, lump, etc.)
- No personal history of breast cancer
- Not being followed by a physician for breast problems
- Not pregnant
- A year since last mammogram
Mammogram participants are asked to notify health professionals of breast implants or any previous benign breast biopsy. The day of the event, women receiving a mammogram screening are asked to wear a two-piece outfit, sleeves that can be rolled up and avoid using deodorant, perfume, powders or ointments that may interview with the X-rays.
For more information on the MTMC Mobile Health Unit and this free event, please visit www.mtmc.org/mobileHealth.php
Registration remains open for MTSU Spring Preview Days, which will be held this Saturday, March 24, and again on Saturday, April 21, said Rob Patterson, assistant director of admissions.
Participants will need to preregister by going towww.mtsu.edu/rsvp and selecting “Saturday Preview Day,” then choosing either March 24 or April 21.
“When choosing a college or university, nothing is more important than finding the right fit,” Patterson said. “Here is your invitation to get to know MTSU.”
Patterson added that the preview days are open to interested high-school students, transfer students and their families.
Both Spring Preview Days will begin with a continental breakfast in the Student Health, Wellness and Recreation Center. Attendees then will be given a campus tour that includes viewing several campus residence halls. Participants also can participate in an academic open house, where representatives from different departments will be available to answer questions.
“We in the Admissions Office are excited about meeting you and look forward to introducing you to Middle Tennessee State University,” Patterson said. “Come check out why we are the No. 1 choice for Tennessee’s Best!”
Parking will be available adjacent to the University Honors College and in the Bragg Mass Communication Building parking lots. A printable campus map is available at www.mtsu.edu/parking/Map_2011-2012.pdf.
For more information about preview days or the process, call 615-898-5670.
— Randy Weiler ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it )
The Bariatric Services program at Middle Tennessee Medical Center (MTMC) will host a patient reunion and open house on Thursday, March 22 from 6 to 8 p.m.
The celebration will give former, recent and prospective patients and their families a chance to offer encouragement and support to one another while touring the program’s new office location. Bariatric Services at MTMC recently moved from its Bell Street location to the new MTMC campus in the Seton Medical Office Building at 1840 Medical Center Parkway in Suite 405.
“We are deeply inspired by the successes of our patients,” said Anne Marie Couch, bariatric program coordinator at MTMC. “It’s a chance for them to celebrate and share their experience with others who have also battled obesity. We also look forward to showcasing our staff and the new office space which features better access and a classroom area.”
Since opening in January 2005, more than 750 patients have received weight loss surgery through the bariatric program at MTMC. In addition to losing weight, many of them have also been able to address other obesity associated conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and sleep issues.
Bariatric Services at MTMC offers comprehensive weight loss surgery programs such as Lap-Band, an inflatable prosthetic device that is placed around the top portion of the stomach to decrease stomach size, gastric bypass, a procedure that divides the stomach into a small upper pouch separating it from the larger portion of the stomach and sleeve gastrectomy, a surgical procedure that reduces the size of the stomach to a third of its original capacity, creating a feeling of fullness.
To RSVP for the open house and patient reunion, call 396-4965 by March 15. For more information about Bariatric Services at MTMC, including seminar and support group schedules for 2012, visit www.mtmcweightloss.org.
About Middle Tennessee Medical Center
Middle Tennessee Medical Center is a member of Saint Thomas Health, the market share leader in Middle Tennessee and a faith-based health ministry with more than 6,500 associates. Saint Thomas Health’s regional health system consists of five hospitals – Baptist Hospital, Saint Thomas Hospital and The Hospital for Spinal Surgery in Nashville, Middle Tennessee Medical Center in Murfreesboro and Hickman Community Hospital in Centerville – and a comprehensive network of affiliated joint ventures in diagnostics, cardiac services and ambulatory surgery as well as medical practices, clinics and rehabilitation facilities. Saint Thomas Health is a member of Ascension Health, a Catholic organization that is the largest not-for-profit health system in the United States. For more information, visit www.mtmc.org or www.sths.com.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Middle Tennessee Medical Center has announced its medical staff leadership and executive committee for 2012.
Dr. Michael Jordan, orthopedic surgeon, has been named chief of staff and Dr. Frank Louthan, pulmonologist, is the vice chief of staff.
Medical staff department chairs include:
- Dr. Nick Dieringer, chief of medicine
- Dr. Mark Akins, chief of surgery
- Dr. Kelly Williams, chief of obstetrics/gynecology
- Dr. Nabil Boutros, chief of emergency medicine
- Dr. Brent Rosser, chief of pediatrics
- Dr. Russell McKissick, chief of orthopedics
About Middle Tennessee Medical Center
Middle Tennessee Medical Center is a member of Saint Thomas Health, the market share leader in Middle Tennessee and a faith-based health ministry with more than 6,500 associates. Saint Thomas Health’s regional health system consists of five hospitals – Baptist Hospital, Saint Thomas Hospital and The Hospital for Spinal Surgery in Nashville, Middle Tennessee Medical Center in Murfreesboro and Hickman Community Hospital in Centerville – and a comprehensive network of affiliated joint ventures in diagnostics, cardiac services and ambulatory surgery as well as medical practices, clinics and rehabilitation facilities. Saint Thomas Health is a member of Ascension Health, a Catholic organization that is the largest not-for-profit health system in the United States. For more information, visit www.mtmc.org or www.sths.com.
