Heart surgery, dementia care, bioarchaeologist score successes

Heart surgery, dementia care, bioarchaeologist score successes

Medical Center faculty and staff often are recognized regionally, nationally and internationally for their academic or medical achievements. These accolades place UMMC among health science centers worldwide.

Cardiac surgery program earns two 3-star ratings

The University of Mississippi Medical Center's cardiac surgery program has earned the Society of Thoracic Surgeons' highest recognition, achieving a 3-star rating for multi-procedural cardiac surgery and a 3-star rating for coronary artery bypass grafting for the first time in its history.

The STS 3-star rating represents the top tier of performance nationwide, based on rigorous risk-adjusted outcomes from the STS National Database. Only about 10% of cardiac surgery programs earn a 3-star rating in any single category.

Achieving two 3-star recognitions places UMMC among the best programs in the country and the only cardiac surgery program in Mississippi to receive this distinction.

"Dual 3-star STS ratings represent an exceptional accomplishment for any cardiac surgery program," said Dr. Michael McMullan, UMMC professor of medicine and a cardiologist who is the director of the Division of Cardiology.

"The achievement of UMMC's cardiac surgery team reflects the highest level of clinical excellence and the strength of our integrated cardiovascular team. This recognition reinforces that our patients receive care and outcomes on par with the nation's top centers."

Dr. Athanasios Tsiouris, UMMC associate professor of surgery-cardiothoracic, said the achievement "places UMMC in the company of the most respected academic centers nationwide." The milestone reflects years of strategic growth and investment, particularly in people, he said.

"The most important change over the past three years has been the recruitment of top-tier providers. This success belongs to our entire cardiovascular enterprise - surgeons, cardiologists, anesthesiologists, intensivists, perfusionists, advanced practice providers, nurses, care coordinators, catheter lab teams, ICU and step-down staff and data managers."

This level of care is most meaningful for patients in Mississippi who rely on access to complex, high-risk cardiac services close to home, Tsiouris said

"This dual recognition is not only a quality accolade, it is also a keystone for UMMC's identity and proof of our role as the region's premier referral destination for advanced cardiac surgery.

"It reinforces public confidence that patients here receive outcomes equal to the nation's best."

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MIND Center honored by Alzheimer's chapter

The Alzheimer's Association Mississippi chapter has presented the Health System of the Year Award to the UMMC Memory Impairment and Neurodegenerative Dementia (MIND) Center.

Denise Lafferty, chief organizational officer of The MIND Center, accepted the award on behalf of the center earlier this month.

"Receiving this award is a profound honor for the entire MIND Center team," Lafferty said. "It affirms the importance of our mission and the collective effort required to change the trajectory of Alzheimer's and dementia in Mississippi.

"Every initiative we advance - whether educating providers, supporting caregivers, conducting transformative research or championing brain health - is driven by a deep commitment to promote healthy aging and strengthen communities."

Alzheimer's is the most common cause of dementia, affecting memory, thinking and behavior. Symptoms progressively worsen and interfere with daily tasks. The majority of people with Alzheimer's are 65 and older.

In Mississippi, more than 62,500 people are living with Alzheimer's, according to the Mississippi chapter, which provides Alzheimer's support, education, awareness and public policy advocacy.
"We are especially proud to partner with the Alzheimer's Association Mississippi chapter to drive strategic priorities that positively impact the lives of Mississippians with these diseases," Lafferty said.
"Our partnership is a powerful reminder that together we are stronger, and together we can make an even greater impact in our state."
In announcing the award, Jennifer Bennett, executive director of the Mississippi chapter of the Alzheimer's Association said, "Through collaboration, innovation and unwavering commitment, The UMMC MIND Center has strengthened systems of care, elevating brain health as a priority and improving the lives of individuals and families across Mississippi. We are deeply grateful for our partnership.

Mack co-edits first-of-its-kind book on bioarchaeology

Dr. Jennifer Mack, lead bioarchaeologist for the UMMC Asylum Hill Project, is the co-editor of a newly published book, "Applied Bioarchaeology: Making an Impact."

Bioarchaeology is the study of human remains from archaeological sites, such as the Medical Center's ongoing archaeological initiative to exhume the remains of patients from the Mississippi State Lunatic Asylum, as the institution was known originally and which closed in 1935 after operating for 80 years.

Applied bioarchaeology is a term that describes bioarchaeological research, "which addresses matters of relevance today, and which actively engages people in the research process in ways that are respectful and relevant to the studied population, their communities, and their descendants," according to the book's official description. "[It] illustrates the role of bioarchaeology in effecting change through advocacy and activism."

The work is the first to address theory and practice in applied bioarchaeology, Mack said. "Most people are aware that bioarchaeological research can provide insights into the past; this volume demonstrates the role such research can play in helping us to understand, evaluate and contextualize present-day challenges.

"The individual chapters serve as roadmaps for moving beyond simple public engagement towards true collaboration with stakeholders and communities."

Released by Springer Publishing, which issues academic journals and other works, it also lists Catriona J. McKenzie, Lorna Tilley and Laura H. Evis as editors. Its description states that it was "co-written with members from marginalized communities to enhance their voices."

"I am proud to have helped organize this book," Mack said, "and proud of the Asylum Hill Project's collaboration with the Mississippi Museum of Art to help spark conversations about mental illness today, work which is detailed in the chapter I contributed."

Mack, who earned a PhD in archaeology from the University of Exeter in England, has years of experience excavating and researching historical cemeteries in the U.S.; she has also worked on archaeological sites abroad.

Each summer, she teaches anthropology students from across North America in the Asylum Hill Bioarchaeological Field School. She also supervises students and staff archaeologists in research projects.