LIFESTYLES/COMMUNITY
PAGE 10A v INDEPENDENT APPEAL
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2015
Rural healthcare abounds in Michie area By Janet Rail Publisher
Rural Americans are more likely to suffer from chronic health conditions and usually face more difficulty accessing quality healthcare than their urban counterparts, however in Michie, citizens have options. There are two rural health clinics Michie Medical Clinic and Michie Healthcare Associates that serve the 600 plus residents of the Michie area. In addition, Michie Pharmacy, downtown, adds more convenience to the residents, all offering quality healthcare close to home. Patients in rural communities typically face greater rates of diabetes, heart problems and cancer but receive lower quality healthcare, as reported by the UnitedHealth Center for Health & Reform Modernization. We are fortunate to have a hospital in our community. Michie does not have a hospital, but in 1998, Mary Sue Rhoads-Humphries, FNP opened Michie Medical Clinic. It is a small town clinic but provides a range of services such as DOT, well child checks, immunizations, Medicare wellness checks, EKG, lab and x-ray. The mission of MMC has always been to provide competent care they themselves would expect to receive. What patients need more than a pill is a relationship with a healthcare provider who knows their medical and family history and that is what every patient gets,” said Humphries. Humphries and her staff of six believe their success is directly related to the loyal people they have and continue to serve since 1998 and the support of the community. Dr. Barton Chase, of Ramer, is their medical advisor. Chase owns Ramer Family Health Center and is on staff at Tennova Healthcare in Selmer (previously McNairy Regional Hospital). “I check in about once a week and look at records. Mary Sue is a great nurse practitioner and Michie offers excellent access to healthcare,” said Chase. The clinic is open 5 days a week, closed on Thursdays and open a half day on Saturday. In 1999, Johnny Odom, a local pharmacist, opened Michie Pharmacy in downtown Michie. Rural pharmacies provide essential
services to residents of rural communities. As the sole provider in Michie, Odom and his staff fill between 150 to 200 prescriptions a day, preventing residents long travel time. They offer consulting services by both Odom and his relief pharmacist Dale Paulson to the citizens they serve. Data from the National Council for Prescription Drug Programs reported 119 rural retail pharmacy closures between 2006 and Oct. 2010. As pharmacists play an integral role in the provision of health care services and counseling, a small rural community like Michie is fortunate to have this service. “I think rural health is good to have. Otherwise you have to drive a long way. We are proud to be here. It has been a blessing to my family and I hope to the community. I have always enjoyed having my own store and love being in a rural place. Michie has been a blessing,” said Odom. Odom attended pharmacy school at Ole Miss in Oxford and had a pharmacy in Pickwick which he sold to Freds, a national chain, before moving to Michie. The pharmacy has a staff of seven with three certified pharmacy techs; Janie Foster, Christy Hanks and Shauna East. Two pharmacy techs Linda Bryant and Christy Wicker and three assistants; Amy Southern, Melana Fisher and Tyler Hanks. The pharmacy is open six days a week with half a day on Saturday. The most recent clinic to open was Michie Healthcare Associates in 2005. Dee Blakney, DNP, a Michie native, obtained her diploma in nursing at Methodist Hopital School of Nursing and her bachelors in nursing at the University of Memphis almost a decade later. Blakney immediately entered the University of Tennessee obtaining her Masters in Nursing, Post Masters in Acute Care as a Nurse Practitioner and then her Doctorate in Nursing in 2007. Blakney, along with two additional Family Nurse Practitioners Debra Collins and Paula Wilder manage multi-system disease processes for patients in the Michie area. The population served consists of pediatric, young adult, adult and elderly. “Here we serve pediatrics to geriatrics. We see patients with hypertension, heart failure, well care and are certified DOT examiners in addition
Michie Medical Clinic staff (in center ) Mary Sue Rhoads-Humphries, FNP with staff Sharon Edwards, Jessie Carroll, Mary McCoy, Shelia Robertson Carol Beane and Sherry Crump.
Michie Healthcare Associates staff Arlene Rebstock, Crissy Atkins, Brianna Alexander and DNP Dee Mitchell Blakney. Not pictured: Debra Collins, FNP and Paula Wilder, FNP. to diet management and consultations,” said Blakney. Dr. Michael Smith of Savannah Medical Center is their medical advisor. Smith is also on staff at Hardin County Medical Center and Tennova Healthcare in Selmer. They are a full service medical clinic with lab but no x-ray. They are open six days a
Submitted Photo by Dorothy Weatherford
Bethel Springs Class of 1960 Seated, left to right: Shelby (Boyd) Chandler, Nola (Mitchell) Baker, Sarah (Carpenter) Taylor, Linda (Garner) Hines, Shirley (Henson) Harris, Dorothy (White) Weatherford, Peggy (Stout) Cartwright, Katy (Murphy) Sowell. Standing, left to right: Mae Smith, Kenneth Hill, Keith Cone, Joe Murry, James Roger Plunk, Ray Hendrix, Joe Gortney, Mr. Robert Bearden, J.C. Davis, Don Hipps, Willie Hunter, Terry Smith, and Ray Alton Carothers.
week, closed on Wednesdays and open a half day on Saturdays. Blakney also owns a clinic in Whiteville. “We serve the surrounding Tennessee areas for diet and healthcare with our five employees and three providers.” At a time when there is stress on rural healthcare, Michie services are thriving.
Tennessee Promise offers two years of tuition-free at a Tennessee College of Applied Technology to Tennessee high school graduates beginning with the Class of 2015. For questions about the event, please call (731) 632-3393 or visit www.TCATcrump.edu
September: Fall Prevention Awareness Month Stephanie Carson Contributor
One of the biggest risks to Tennessee seniors can be tripping hazards found in their own homes. An estimated one in three people age 65 or older takes a major, unexpected tumble at least once a year. September is Falls Prevention Awareness Month, and while clearing a home of unnecessary clutter is one method of protection, a fall-risk evaluation includes a person's gait and balance, his or her health conditions, medications and home environment. Getting an older relative or friend to agree to this checkup can be a challenge,
said Dr. Sascha Dublin, an nternal-medicine physician and investigator at Group Health Reseach Institute. She added, however, that it's important to try. Dublin said people who use balancing aids such as canes or walkers often need a little training to use them correctly, and may be using a hand-medown piece of equipment that isn't the right size or height and can put them at greater risk of a fall. Among seniors who take a major fall, Dublin said, two-thirds will fall again within six months. Group Health recommends preventive steps including exercise as people age - not just any exercise, but those that can improve strength, balance and coordination. Tai Chi is at the top of Dublin's
list, but there are others. "Many people don't realize how much improvement they may be able to get with becoming more physically active," she said. "So, for instance, there have been randomized trials that took 90-year-olds to do very gentle weightlifting in the gym, and found substantial benefits from just small amounts of gentle weightlifting to strengthen leg muscles." Dublin said it's important to tell a doctor or physical therapist about a person's over-the-counter medication use, not only prescriptions. She said cold medications and sleep aids often contain antihistamines, which can make the user drowsy or dizzy.
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