Newsmakers: North Mississippi Primary Health Care, NMMC-Pontotoc, Drs. Warlick and McComb
Oct. 8—North Mississippi Primary Health Care Inc. in Ashland recently received three American Heart Association outpatient program achievement awards in recognition for its commitment to reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke by improving high cholesterol, Type 2 diabetes and blood pressure management. The awards recognize a commitment to following the latest evidence- and science-based care guidelines.
Nearly half of all adults in the U.S. have some form of cardiovascular disease, including heart attack, stroke or heart failure. High cholesterol, Type 2 diabetes and uncontrolled high blood pressure are leading risk factors for cardiovascular disease, but with timely diagnosis, research-based treatment and education, these conditions can be managed.
North Mississippi Primary Health Care received these achievement awards:
—The American Heart Association's Check. Change. Control. Cholesterol Gold
—The American Heart Association and American Diabetes Association's Target: Type 2 Diabetes Gold
—Target: BP Gold+ recognition jointly presented by the American Heart Association and the American Medical Association.
—North Mississippi Medical Center-Pontotoc recently celebrated a national honor for delivering outstanding patient care and setting high standards for clinical quality.
NMMC-Pontotoc was one of seven hospitals to receive the 2022 Premier Quest Award for High Value Health Care.
"We are the only critical access hospital recognized," said Leslia Carter, NMMC-Pontotoc administrator.
The Premier Quest Collaborative brings together hospitals in 37 states to improve care quality and safety while effectively reducing costs. Quest hospitals monitor and measure performance to ensure delivery of high-quality, cost-effective care. Quest hospitals volunteer to transparently share data and define a common framework with consistent measures.
To earn the award, NMMC-Pontotoc and the six other hospitals had to be a top performing hospital in all five quality categories tracked by the collaborative. The collaborative emphasizes improving outcomes, eliminating variation and applying evidence-based approaches.
The other hospitals recognized with the 2022 Premier Quest Award for High Value Health Care are Adventist Health Lodi Memorial in Lodi, California; PeaceHealth Cottage Grove Community Medical Center in Cottage Grove, Oregon; and four Montefiore Health System hospitals in the Bronx and Mount Vernon, New York.
—The North Mississippi Medical Center Wound Care Center and Hyberbarics recently bid farewell to Dan Warlick, M.D., who retired after 12 years with the wound center in Tupelo on Sept. 30. Dwight McComb, M.D., a long-time physician in Amory, became the medical director for the Wound Center and Hyperbarics at the NMMC-Tupelo on Oct. 3. He will continue to serve as the medical director for the Wound Healing and Hyperbaric Center at NMMC Gilmore-Amory.
When Dr. Warlick came to Tupelo, the center's physician and nurse practitioner were seeing about 10 people a day, and hyperbaric oxygen treatments were underutilized. Now the center sees about 50 patients a day.
Warlick earned his undergraduate degree from the Nebraska Wesleyan University in Lincoln and his medical degree from University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Medicine. He completed residencies at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and Southwest Michigan Area Health Education Center in Kalamazoo. He practiced general surgery for 24 years before focusing on wound care.
Dr. McComb has been an internal medicine physician in Amory for the past 18 years, most recently caring for patients at Amory Specialty Clinic. He has served as the medical director of the Wound Healing and Hyperbaric Center in Amory since it opened in 2007.
McComb will join the team at the Tupelo wound center that includes nurse practitioners Richard Comer and Sandra Russell. He will continue to see patients at the Amory wound center on Wednesdays, where nurse practitioner Marlana McFarland practices as well.
McComb earned his undergraduate degree from Mississippi State University and his medical degree from University of Mississippi School of Medicine. He completed his residency in internal medicine and pediatrics at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. He holds Physician Certification in Would Care from the American Board of Wound Healing.
