Baptist Health System Hospitals Earn “Top Performer on Key Quality Measures®” Recognition from The Joint Commission

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November 7, 2013

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – For the third consecutive year, three Baptist Health System hospitals were each named a Top Performer on Key Quality Measures® by The Joint Commission, the leading accreditor of health care organizations in America. Princeton Baptist (Birmingham), Shelby Baptist (Alabaster) and Walker Baptist (Jasper) were recognized by The Joint Commission for their exemplary performance in using best practices shown to improve care for certain conditions. All three Baptist medical centers were recognized for their achievements in four areas: heart attack, heart failure, surgery and pneumonia. “Safe, effective care is what matters most to our patients. Physicians and staff at our hospitals understand that and strive daily to deliver safe, effective care,” said BHS President and CEO Shane Spees. “That is why Baptist Health System has made a strong commitment to use evidence-based clinical care processes that have been proven to lead to the best possible outcomes. We are proud to receive, again this year, the distinction of being named Top Performers by The Joint Commission.” According to The Joint Commission, 1,099 hospitals throughout the nation were listed as Top Performers, which is approximately one-third of all Joint Commission-accredited hospitals that reported accountability measure performance data for 2012. The Top Performer designation is awarded to hospitals – like Princeton, Shelby and Walker Baptist – who attain and sustain excellence in clinical care. “All the Top Performer hospitals – such as Princeton, Shelby and Walker Baptist – have demonstrated an exceptional commitment to quality improvement, and they should be proud of their achievement,” says Dr. Mark R. Chassin, president and chief executive officer of The Joint Commission. In addition to being included in The Joint Commission’s “Improving America’s Hospitals” annual report, Princeton, Shelby and Walker Baptist will be recognized on The Joint Commission’s Quality Check web site (www.qualitycheck.org). The Top Performer program will be featured in the December issues of two The Joint Commission publications, The Joint Commission Perspectives and The Source.

OCTOBER SUCCESS ARGUABLY BEST EVER FOR ASU ATHLETICS

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Birmingham Times

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November 7, 2013

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MONTGOMERY – The October success of Alabama State University’s fall sports programs is arguably the best ever in the history of the program.

All five teams competing in their championship seasons achieved significant victories and milestones.

Cross Country: Three-Peat! The Lady Hornets won their third straight SWAC cross country championship. The program nearly pulled off the sweep, as the men’s team finished second.

“Anytime you can win three championships in a row, it’s special,” said head coach Ritchie Beene of his women’s team, which will compete in the NCAA Regional in November. “As the saying goes, the third time is the charm, and the charm came because we had six runners finish in the top 10, which in my career has never happened before. We’re going to enjoy this moment and then prepare to move on to the next phase of the season.”

Women’s Soccer: The Lady Hornets went a perfect 8-0 in the month, went undefeated in conference play, and won the SWAC’s Eastern Division title for the first time in the programs’ history.

“It’s a huge step for our program,” head soccer coach Jodie Smith said as soccer posted its first-ever winning season and set a program record with 12 victories. “It shows that we paid attention to detail we kept focus and kept working. It’s a testament to the team as a whole and how much they wanted it.

Soccer is currently on a program-record nine-match winning streak, and will be the #1 seed in the East in next month’s SWAC Tournament.

“We started with building blocks and that was a goal we set as a team,” Smith said of winning the division. “We felt that it was attainable and after setting the tone last season. I think it shows where we are as a program and we hope this is the first of many.”

Volleyball: Alabama State posted a 9-2 mark as part of what was a program-record setting 11-match win streak. The Lady Hornets are in sole possession of first place in the SWAC’s Eastern Division.

“I was very pleased,” said head volleyball coach Penny Lucas-White of her Lady Hornets, who have 16 wins this season and are undefeated in conference play. “The thing that pleases me the most is that they’re so resilient. They never give up. I don’t care who we’ve played, I’ve never seen my team lay down to anybody all year. They have fought hard every day, every match, every minute. They have that mindset and I think that is special.”

Football: The Hornets went 3-0 to push its current winning streak to six games. In second place by one game in the SWAC’s Eastern Division, Alabama State’s win in the State Farm Magic City Classic gave the Hornets back-to-back wins over Alabama A&M for the first time since 1997-98.

“It makes you feel good,” head football coach Reggie Barlow said of his Hornets who are 6-2 overall, 6-1 in SWAC. “My approach is always ‘one snap and clear,’ so it’s all about the next game. You say ‘how do you go the whole month without losing,’? The first thing you have to do is win the first one, and then continue to put them together. It makes you proud to know the guys are buying into the plan, they’re buying into coaching, and they understand and are committed to each other and our staff. It’s a good thing for us.”

The combined finishes of the cross country programs in the conference championship has Alabama State tied for first place in the SWAC’s Commissioner’s Cup standings for best overall sports program in the conference.
The numbers and championships tell the story:
·         1 Conference Championship – Women’s Cross Country
·         1 Division Championship – Women’s Soccer
·         1 runner-up finish – Men’s Cross Country
·         1 team in first place – Volleyball
·         1 team in second place – Football
October 2013 will be one to remember for ASU Athletics, which won the SWAC women’s all-sports trophy last season as part of a third consecutive second-place finish in the commissioner’s cup standings. With these and 13 other programs slated to be in contention for league titles over the next seven months, more history could be a flip of the calendar away.

Go Ahead and Take the Leap

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Birmingham Times

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November 7, 2013

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Fear can be a mother!!!!!!!!! Now, before you think I’ve jumped onto the “curse whenever you want to wagon” hear me out. Fear, like a mother can birth so many other things in our life. What starts with something small can grow into something big and longlasting. What starts with a little thought in our head or heart can spawn doubt, procrastination, stagnation, generational transfers of the same hindering mindset, lack of faith, missed opportunities, and a bunch of other things that just shouldn’t be.
So I say today, to myself as I type and to anyone who’s reading, “Go ahead and take the leap.” Our first step is figuring out what’s been holding us back, in what areas, why and what we need to immediately start doing about it. Our second step is to simply do “it”, do “it” some more, do “it” again, do “it” when we don’t want to, do “it” when the fear tries to creep back in, get some help with “it” if we can’t do “it” alone, but we must do whatever our “it” is until our “it” is done. If we try and don’t fail, we might end up actually flying. If we try and do fail, we might still end up actually flying, just at another time and perhaps another day or another way.
Today’s the day! Ready. Set. Go!!!! LEAP!!!!!!!!!!!!

Angela Scott Moore has sported many hats in her lifetime. She’s a former broadcast anchor/reporter/producer, a trained motivational speaker, fundraiser and marketing/PR expert. She spent nine years as a pastor’s wife working in full-time ministry before than union ended in divorce. A majority of her time in ministry was spent empowering women and girls. She’s an avid inspirational blogger and also a philanthropic community supporter who has served with more than 25 local and national organizations over her 15+ year professional career. Currently she’s working in the fields of Social Justice and Human Resources and operates the blossoming, full-service events planning venture Amazing Kreations with her business partner, offering media and event planning assistance at low or no cost to small organizations and businesses. Taking lessons learned from each phase of her ever-evolving life, Angela’s now donning the hat of a single woman on a single mission to use spoken and written words to motivate others to “thrive while they survive.”
Contact Angela Scott Moore about speaking engagements at amazingkreations2@gmail.com, follow her blog at www.angelamooreblog.wordpress.com, on twitter at @AngelaMMoore316 or check out her facebook page for people experiencing separation or divorce at I’m More Than What Happened.

Children’s of Alabama Launches Pediatric Health Blog for Parents, Caregivers and Teachers

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Birmingham Times

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November 7, 2013

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BIRMINGHAM – Children’s of Alabama recently launched one of the state’s first fully pediatric health care blogs entitled Instructions Not Included.
Instructions Not Included – so named because every parent knows children don’t come with an instructions manual – is designed for caregivers (parents, grandparents, caregivers and teachers) featuring posts from Children’s of Alabama experts, physicians, local parents and more. Posts will feature medical news, health information, research innovations and perspectives from clinicians and hospital staff. Topics will range from general health and wellness to advocacy, safety and public health and safety issues. Weekly articles will discuss the evolving world of healthcare and provide insight into health topics many families may be tentative to discuss. Readers can have their questions answered and are invited to share opinions on what they want from their doctors and healthcare providers.
The blog can be found via link on Children’s website at www.childrensal.org (under “Featured Links”) or directly at http://childrensalblog.org.
“We encourage community participation and topic suggestions,” said Amy Dabbs, Children’s Digital Communications Coordinator. “We are excited to be able to share some of the resources we have with the public in this new and creative way.”
Those interested in making submissions may contact Dabbs through the blog or call 205-638-6660. She also said Children’s will use the blog to answer questions from the health care community, public and employees. The Instructions Not Included blog is the most recent addition to the hospital’s social media efforts, which also include Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Readers are encouraged to engage by sharing posts on their own social media sites and commenting on blog entries. An RSS feed option is also available so readers can subscribe and receive real time updates.

India Pleasant Receives Academic Honors

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Birmingham Times

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November 7, 2013

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Alabama State senior soccer player India Pleasant was named to the Capital One Academic All-District Team for her performance on the field and in the classroom, as announced by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) on Thursday afternoon.
Pleasant, a forward from Fontana, Calif. played in 15 games this season for the Lady Hornets, has maintained a 3.80 GPA while majoring in Biology/ Pre-Health. She is ranked 2nd in program history for goals in a season with eight, and has three game winning goals. She has also added three goals and two assists this season. She has also been named as a SWAC Offensive Player of the Week multiple times. In 2012, she was named to the First Team All-SWAC, the College Sports Madness All-SWAC Team and the All-SWAC Academic team.
Pleasant and the Lady Hornets are fourth in the nation in offensive scoring and end the regular season on a nine game win streak. They will travel to Houston, Texas for the SWAC Tournament Nov. 7-10 at the Houston Amateur Sports Park.

THE GLORY REVEALED

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Birmingham Times

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November 7, 2013

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An Evening of Prayer and Worship
Join The Guiding Light Church Choir, Adult Dancers, Youth Dancers, Mime, and Hip Hop Dancers as well as SPECIAL GUEST CHOIR, MADISON MISSION CHOIR OF HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA as we enter into His presence with prayer and worship. Sunday, November 17, 2013, 3 p.m. on the Campus Of The Guiding Light Church, 1800 John Rogers Drive, Birmingham, AL 35210.
We are inviting one and all to come prepared to worship with all of The Guiding Light Church Fine Arts Ministry, and GUEST CHOIR, MADISON MISSION CHOIR.

The Field is Set for Eight HBCU Marching Bands to Perform at the 12th Annual Honda Battle of the Bands Invitational Showcase 

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Birmingham Times

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November 7, 2013

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Tickets are on sale for one of the nation’s premier marching band events

TORRANCE, Calif. – The votes are in and eight of the top Historically Black College and University (HBCU) marching bands have been selected to perform at the 12th Annual Honda Battle of the Bands Invitational Showcase. Widely known within the marching band community as “The Honda,” the Invitational Showcase is the culmination of the Honda Battle of the Bands, providing a national stage to highlight the distinct showmanship of HBCU marching bands. The Invitational Showcase will take place on January 25, 2014, at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, where tens of thousands of HBCU marching band fans will converge for one of the nation’s most distinguished marching band events. Individual and group tickets are available at http://hondabattleofthebands.com/tickets. The eight bands selected to perform are:
•   Alabama A&M University, Marching Maroon & White (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
•   Alabama State University, Mighty Marching Hornets (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
•   Bethune-Cookman University, Marching Wildcats (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
•   Morehouse College, The Marching Maroon Tigers (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference)
•   North Carolina A&T University, Blue and Gold Marching Machine (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
•   South Carolina State University, Marching 101 (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
•   University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, UAPB Marching Musical Machine of the Mid-South (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
•   Winston-Salem State University, The Red Sea of Sound (Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association)
The eight HBCUs will receive a $20,000 grant from Honda for their music education programs, plus an all-expenses paid trip to Atlanta for the Invitational Showcase. The final eight bands were chosen through a voting process that incorporates feedback from online fan votes, band directors, HBCU school presidents and representatives from American Honda.
“The Honda Battle of the Bands is a celebration of the unique HBCU marching band experience and culture,” said Gina Jorge, head of Multicultural Marketing for American Honda Motor Co., Inc. “The Invitational Showcase is a spectacular display of the results of months of dedication and preparation, and Honda is proud to continue to support our nation’s HBCU music education programs.”
Fans can join the conversation by using the official hashtag, #HBOB and connecting via social media:
•   Facebook – Facebook.com/HondaBattleoftheBands
•   Twitter – @The_Honda / Twitter.com/The_Honda
•   YouTube – YouTube.com/hondabotb
•   Instagram – @The_Honda
For more information on the 2014 Honda Battle of the Bands, visit HondaBattleoftheBands.com.

Make a Video – Win a 2014 Honda Civic
Honda is offering three talented fans an opportunity to win a free trip for two to “The Honda,” and one of them will win a new 2014 Honda Civic. Fans are encouraged to submit a 15-second Instagram video that best embodies this year’s show theme, “Best Yourself.” For contest details, please visit www.hondabattleofthebands.com/contest.
Check out the 2014 HBOB intro video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxdbcwmaQk0

Greater New Antioch Baptist Church

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Birmingham Times

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November 7, 2013

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Mental Health: What Are The Options?

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Birmingham Times

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November 7, 2013

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Birmingham is one of ten cities around the country to answer President Obama’s call for a national conversation about mental health with a broad based dialogue to discuss how mental health issues affect our communities and to discuss topics related to the mental health of our young people.

On Friday, November 1, 2013 Mayor Bell was joined at a press conference by Bill Muse, President-National Issues Forum Institute, Stephanie McCladdie, Regional SAMSHA Administrator, and numerous mental health officials from the Birmingham metropolitan area. To announce discussions that will lead to action plans designed to improve mental health programs and services for families, schools and communities. The discussions, entitled Mental Health: What Are The Options?, will take place in the form of ten forums in Birmingham. Data collected from the forums will be provided to SAMSHA and aid in the further formation of programming in the Birmingham area.

UAB Dental Group opens newly renovated $2.4 million Faculty Practice

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Birmingham Times

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November 7, 2013

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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Dentistry’s newly renovated Faculty Practice facility is now open and accepting patients.
The UAB Dental Group, in affiliation with UAB Dentistry, recently announced the completion of the $2.4 million renovation. The state-of-the-art facility will house 14 dental operation bays that are supported by the most current digital radiography, sterilization and laboratory equipment.
The new facility will give UAB faculty a clinical space commensurate with their research facilities, says Michael Reddy, DMD, D.M.Sc., dean of the School of Dentistry.
“The Faculty Practice Clinic was created to retain and attract new faculty,” Reddy said. “Master clinicians are looking for an opportunity to practice at the highest level, document their work, use it for teaching and provide better patient care. Just as we needed to develop our research facilities, we needed to develop a clinical enterprise that would enable our faculty to practice in the most optimal facilities available.”
The renovated facility, located on the fifth floor of the UAB Dentistry building, is a little larger than the previous space and more inviting to patients. Approximately 30 dental practitioners will be available to render service in a private-practice setting.
Clinic specialties available include general dentistry, endodontics, periodontics, prosthodontics and pediatric dentistry. A staff of 15 clinical and administrative personnel supports the practitioners.
The UAB Dental Group is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and accepts most major insurance plans, including MetLife Dental insurance. Call 205-934-2340 to schedule an appointment. Uninsured patients also are welcome with fees for service requested at the time of treatment.