Texas County Memorial Hospital will purchase a piece of equipment to provide new surgical services and enhance recruitment of physicians.
With a new obstetrician/gynecologist and general surgeon utilizing the hospital’s surgery department and strong recruiting prospects for additional surgeons, the hospital’s board of trustees agreed last month to expend $25,476 to purchase a new five-millimeter, 30-degree endoscope.
Christopher Baldwin, M.D., board certified obstetrician/gynecologist, and Leroy Wombold, M.D., general surgeon, requested the surgical instrument. The five millimeter scope will be used for less invasive laparoscopic surgeries. The smaller endoscope will require smaller incisions for laparoscopic procedures when used.
Laparoscopic surgery uses a thin, lighted tube put through an incision in the belly to look at the abdominal organs. Tissue samples can be taken, and operations can be performed laparoscopically.
Baldwin uses laparoscopy to find female pelvic organ problems such as cysts, adhesions, fibroids and infection. He also performs laparoscopic hysterectomies as well as other gynecological surgeries.
Wombold uses laparoscopy to remove gallbladders, repair hernias and do partial colon removal among other surgical procedures.
“All of the surgical candidates we have interviewed have requested a five-millimeter scope,” said Wes Murray, chief executive officer at TCMH. “This scope will help us in our ongoing general surgery recruiting efforts, too.”
TCMH has two general surgeons who are interested in full-time opportunities with the hospital, Murray reported to the board.
Schaun Flaim, DO, chief of the TCMH medical staff and internal medicine physician at the TCMH Medical Complex in Houston, added that he and the other internal medicine physicians would find a use for the smaller scope from time to time, too.
“There are some tools that come with the scope that could be handy for stopping a bleed,” Flaim said.
Joleen Senter Durham, physician recruiting director at TCMH, reported “great progress” has been made in recruiting additional providers.
“With the signing of Dr. Baldwin, we were able to get a signed contract from Tracey Arwood, a certified nurse midwife, that will collaborate with Dr. Baldwin when she begins working here in August,” Durham said.
Arwood contacted Durham in late 2013 seeking a position in southwest Missouri so she and her family could move closer to her parent’s home in Marshfield.
“Tracey will be able to provide obstetrical care for area patients as well as healthcare services for women of all ages,” Durham said. “After we met Tracey, we believed she would be a great fit for our patients and hospital team, but we had to recruit a physician that could collaborate with Tracey.”
TCMH plans to use Tracey’s skills to provide obstetrical services at the TCMH Mountain Grove Clinic and at the TCMH Medical Complex in Houston.
“Nobody is currently providing full obstetrical services in the Mountain Grove area, so it will be a great benefit to area patients to have someone regularly available in that area to provide prenatal and postnatal care,” Durham said.
Whitney Young, a physician assistant student, has also signed a contract with TCMH. Young will begin practicing at the TCMH Family Clinic in Licking after she passes her board certification exam in August.
Young is from the Rolla area and has family in Texas County.