CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital-Sulphur Springs Earns National Distinction
CMFH-SS Awarded ‘A’ Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade For Spring 2020
Sulphur Springs, Texas – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs was awarded an ‘A’ in the spring 2020 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, a national distinction recognizing the hospital’s achievements providing safer health care.
The Leapfrog Group is an independent national watchdog organization committed to health care quality and safety. The Safety Grade is a letter grade assigned to all general hospitals across the country and updated
every six months, assessing how well the hospital prevents medical errors and other harms to patients.
“I am thrilled to announce CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs received an ‘A’ rating in patient safety from The Leapfrog Group for the Spring 2020 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade. Thank you to our team for your continued dedication to excellence and earning an ‘A’ rating for the second time in a row!” said Paul Harvey, President/CEO.
“As the Nation copes with a challenging pandemic, our gratitude extends to hospital leadership and health care workers everywhere for their tremendous dedication,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The
Leapfrog Group. “We hope this ‘A’ helps to thank the people who work and volunteer for CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs. They are role models in putting patients first, and their service has been extraordinary in our country’s time of need.”
Developed under the guidance of a national expert panel, the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade uses up to 28 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to assign grades to more than 2,600 U.S. acute-care hospitals twice per year. The Hospital Safety Grade’s methodology is peer-reviewed and fully transparent, and the results are free to the public.
CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs was awarded an ‘A’ grade today, when Leapfrog updated grades for spring 2020. To see CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs’s full grade details and access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit hospitalsafetygrade.org and follow The Leapfrog Group on Twitter and Facebook.
About The Leapfrog Group
Founded in 2000 by large employers and other purchasers, The Leapfrog Group is a national nonprofit organization driving a movement for giant leaps forward in the quality and safety of American health care.
The flagship Leapfrog Hospital Survey and new Leapfrog Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) Survey collect and transparently report hospital and ASC performance, empowering purchasers to find the highest-value care and giving consumers the lifesaving information they need to make informed
decisions.
The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, Leapfrog’s other main initiative, assigns letter grades to hospitals based on their record of patient safety, helping consumers protect themselves and their families from errors, injuries, accidents and infections.
About CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Health System
CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Health System includes CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospitals – Tyler, South Tyler, Jacksonville, Winnsboro and Sulphur Springs, the CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Louis and Peaches Owen Heart Hospital – Tyler, CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Rehabilitation Hospital a partner of Encompass Health, Tyler ContinueCARE Hospital at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital, a long-term acute care facility, and CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic. CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic is the area’s preferred multi-specialty medical group, with more than 400 Physicians and Advanced Practice Providers representing 36 specialties in 34 locations serving Northeast Texas across 41 counties.
For more information on services available through CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Health System, visit christustmf.org
- Bed count – 402 CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Tyler
- Bed count – 8 CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – South Tyler
- Bed count – 25 CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Jacksonville
- Bed Count – 96 CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs
- Bed count – 25 CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Winnsboro
- Bed count – 94 CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Rehabilitation Hospital
- Bed count – 96 CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Louis and Peaches Owen Heart – Tyler
- Bed count – 51 Tyler ContinueCARE Hospital at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital
SSPD Reminds Residents To Lock Vehicles, Hide Property
Sulphur Springs Police Department Tuesday morning reminds residents to lock vehicles and hide personal property to deter vehicle thefts and burglaries.
SSPD responded to calls of vehicle burglaries in several different areas of town, as well as one vehicle theft. Among the areas where vehicle burglaries were reported were Austin Acres, Junell Drive and Westbrook Circle. A car was reported stolen from Carter Street. Police were still out working those cases at 9 a.m. May 5.
A vehicle burglary was also reported on Lundy Street May 2. A home burglary was reported over the weekend on Church Street as well, according to police reports.
Thus, Sulphur Springs Police Chief Jason Ricketson reminds residents of the importance of locking vehicles as a preventive measure against vehicle burglary. Citizens too should remove all keys and valuables from parked vehicles. When items are stored in vehicles, they should be secured out of sight, and the vehicle should be locked.
KSSTRadio.com publishes Sulphur Springs Police Department reports and news. The Police Department is located at 125 Davis St., Sulphur Springs, Texas. Non-emergency calls can be made to (903) 885-7602.
If you have an emergency dial 9-1-1.
The Sulphur Springs Police Department continues to serve its citizens with pride in its overall mission and will strive to provide the best possible police force in the 21st century.
If you have an emergency, dial 9-1-1
The Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office is located at 298 Rosemont Sulphur Springs, TX 75482. You can reach them for non-emergency matters at (903) 438-4040.
Mindful Living
May 5, 2020 – Is your mind constantly wandering? Do you have a hard time concentrating? Are your thoughts and experiences clouding your judgement? Sometimes we are overwhelmed by certain situations and may lose our ability to cope with the pressure.
Recognize negative thoughts and gradually learn to dismiss them by focusing on the positive side of each situation. Be aware of stress inducers by identifying the underlying causes. Develop an action plan with a healthy coping strategy such as deep breathing or simple physical activities that could help with stress management.
Don’t always worry about your to-do list. Spend quality time with family, socialize with friends, and more importantly allow yourself your own personal time. Go outdoors to connect with nature and get some fresh air. Listen to your loved ones with full attention. Listening enables you to be sensitive to the other person’s emotions and helps to accurately understand what they are trying to convey.
When time permits, unplug from social media and technology. Use of technology changed the way we approach our work and daily activities. Time spent on digital devices replaced our time spent exercising, bonding, and bring creative. A digital detox will help you unplug and disconnect from technology and to reconnect with friends and family. Try one!
- Start your morning routine without your phone or other digital devices.
- Allow at least an hour each day of screen-free time.
- Turn off social media notifications.
- Take breaks from social media to go outdoors.
- Encourage screen-free family meals to reconnect with family members.
- Avoid screens in your bedroom.
- Use paper and pen for note taking instead of using digital devices.
- Stretch your body every 30 minutes while sitting or using your computer.
- Avoid talking or texting while driving.
Practicing mindfulness does not wipe out life’s problems. Instead, you are training and preparing your mind to stay composed by being more cognizant of the negative thoughts and emotions that originate from stressful situations. Stress can affect our bodies and minds in powerful ways; from raising our blood pressure, to causing muscle pain. Becoming mindful and being able to identify how stress is affecting our thoughts and body is the first step in learning how to cope with stress healthfully.
Closing Thought
Throughout life, people will make you mad, disrespect you and treat you badly. Let God deal with the things they do, because hate in your heart will consume you, too. – Will Smith
Sulphur Springs, TX 75483; 903-885-3443
SSHS: Rachel Bramlett Is New State Champion In UIL Latino History Essay Contest
5 SSHS Students Place In Top 12 In Essay Contests, 1 In Theatrical Design At State
Four Sulphur Springs High School students earned recognition for finishing in the top 6 in essay and theatrical design competitions, and another SSHS students was recognized as a top essay finalist.
Latino, Barbara Jordan Essay Contests
Rachel Bramlett is the new 2020 Latino History Essay Contest State Champion. Bramlett was a finalist in the the contest last year.
Three SSHS students also placed in the top 6 and one in the top 15 in the Barbara Jordan Historical Essay Competition. Annmarie Gunn earned third place honors, Nathan Braddy fourth and Matthew Harper sixth place honors in the Jordan Historical Essay contest. Paige Daniel was also a finalist in this event, placing in the top 12 in the state.
Gunn too is noted to have placed at state in an essay contest for at least the second year in a row. Last year, she went home with the silver medal in the Latino History contest as well fourth placed in ready writing.
This also marks at least the second time Harper has earned state UIL honors as well. Last year he was named the state champion and was a member of the first place state team in literary criticism, marking the fifth year in a row an SSHS team took the lit crit title at state.
Other SSHS students who submitted entries were Brandon Hodges, Lige Leavens, Zoe Westlund, and Isabelle Thesing.
SSHS UIL Coordinator Gerald Grafton offers congratulations to these students as well as their sponsor, Gail Herman.
These essay contests generated an unprecedented number of entries: over 400 essays. Both essay contests are designed to provide students with the opportunity to develop research and interview skills, to improve their writing ability, and to learn more about the contributions that African Americans and Latinos have made to the history and culture of Texas.
Founded in 1995 as an event sponsored by The University of Texas at Austin, the Barbara Jordan Historical Essay Competition moved to its new home with UIL Academics in 2011-2012. The competition provides students an opportunity to explore the contributions of African Americans to Texas history, as well as honoring the legacy of its namesake, Barbara Jordan. The theme of the competition is “African Americans in Texas: Past and Present.”
The Barbara Jordan Historical Essay Competition was founded in 1995 as an event sponsored by The University of Texas at Austin and became part of UIL Academics in 2011-2012. The theme of the competition is “African Americans in Texas: Past and Present.”
The Latino History Essay Competition was founded in 2011 by the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement at UT-Austin and became part of UIL Academics beginning in the 2012-2013 school year. During the first year of the competition, it was open only to students in South Texas. Since the 2012-2013 school year, entries have been accepted from students statewide. The theme of the competition is “historical and cultural legacies of Latinos in Texas history.”
A video of the online awards announcement, including a brief excerpt from read by the SSHS winners and finalists can be viewed at on the UIL website at: https://www.uiltexas.org/academics/essay-contests
Theatrical Design
SSHS Wildcat Theatre student AllieGrace Woodard placed 6th in State Theatrical Design–Division II Costume and Makeup contest.
The UIL Theatrical Design contest celebrates the most talented theatre students in Texas.
The contest featured a record 700 entries and nearly 300 state qualifiers this year, according to Director of Theatre Lesha Woodard.
This year’s Theatrical Design Contest concentrated on creating sustainable, time-traveling designs for Pedro Calderon De La Barca’s “Life is a Dream.” AllieGrace’s state-advancing hair and makeup entry featured Rachel Bramlett, Chase Berry, and Hannah Shultz as models. AllieGrace has advanced to state competition at least twice.
Students in Division II competed against all other 5A and 6A students throughout the state. AllieGrace’s theatrical designs placed sixth in the state among competitors in her division.
“Congratulations to AllieGrace Woodard for her 6th place finish in the State UIL Theatrical Design competition (make-up and hair division). Also, congratulations to her sponsor, Lesha Woodard,” said SSHS UIL Coordinator Gerald Grafton.
A video of the online theatrical awards announcements can be viewed on the UIL website at https://www.uiltexas.org/theatre/theatrical-design
Winnsboro Police Department Media Report
The Winnsboro Police Department media report for the week of April 27 through May 3, 2020, included the following activity:
Arrests
Andrew French, 32 years of age, of Winnsboro, was arrested on 4/27/2020
on an Austin Parole warrant- parole violations.
Calls for Service
The Winnsboro Police Department responded to a total of 111 calls for
service during this reporting period.
Citations
The Winnsboro Police Department issued 22 citations and 15 warnings
during this reporting period.
A Look At The CHRISTUS MFH-SS Trailer Used To Disinfect N95 Masks
Keith Kelley adapted a model utilized in a University of Nebraska Medical Center study to disinfect N95 masks so that healthcare providers can use them more than once. The Director of Administrative Services assisting the Chief Nursing Officer for CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital-Sulphur Springs explained that they converted the model to a mobile unit, making it available to help many area healthcare facilities disinfect their N95 masks on site.
In a time when many healthcare facilities across the country are reporting shortages of N95 masks, the cleaning will extend the life of the PPE used by hospital employees directly in contact with patients to ensure the facility maximizes its resources so that they are amply prepared for the fight against COVID-19.
Kelley said a local dentist’s office had enquired this week about having some N95 masks disinfected. Later in the week, the trailer will be moved to Longview, where masks from hospitals and health facilities around the area will be collected and cleaned on site.
The ultraviolet light, controlled from outside the trailer, when it reaches the specified wattage for the Joules needed will disrupt the genetics in the coronavirus, killing any COVID-19 that’s on the mask. This is the same process used in medical facilities to disinfect a room where a COVID-19 patient has been treated. This is very high voltage UV light in a small area, much stronger than one would get from regular sunlight.
The process takes about 5 1/2 minutes total to sterilize the masks, with a capacity to decontaminate up to about 1,000 masks per hour. Masks are labeled and packaged in brown bags. They are removed and hung with clothes pins in what looks like a clothes line. Once all are on the line, the trailer is closed. The UV turned on. Once finished, the door is opened. The disinfected masks are returned in white paper bags designating them clean and returned to their owners.
The trailer and supplies were a donation to the CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs Foundation from Brian and Leesa Toliver of Brian Toliver Ford-Lincoln.
State Highway 11 Traffic Stop Nets THC Oil, 1 Arrest
A State Highway 11 traffic stop reportedly resulted in location of THC oil and a felony arrest Saturday afternoon.
Hopkins County Sheriff‘s Deputy Aaron Chaney reported stopping the driver of a beige Nissan Altima for speeding, shown to be traveling at 68 miles per hour in a 60 mph speed zone, on State Highway 11 west, just east of County Road 4725. There were five people in the car, according to arrest reports.
A records check using the driver’s license showed he’d recently been stopped for a similar traffic violation, so he asked the man about it and asked the other occupants for ID. When handing over ID, two occupants hands were noted to be “slightly shanking.” Noting the occupants’ nervousness, Chaney reported obtaining permission from the driver to search the car.
Chaney first had the driver exit the car, then patted him down, finding nothing illegal. He then had the other occupants exit the car, one at a time. When they were asked if there was any contraband or illegal substances in the car and was initially told not, the deputy noted in arrest reports.
A pat down of the front passenger revealed in the pocket of the man’s work vest a cigarette package with a small plastic container with a glass vaporizer cartridge with a brownish clear liquid suspected to THC oil, Chaney alleged in arrest reports.
Chaney also reported smelling an alcohol odor while conducting a search, leading him to ask if any had consumed alcoholic beverages. One back seat passenger admitted to consuming one alcoholic beverage and to having a small amount of marijuana, a pipe and container with more suspected marijuana. While searching one rear seat passenger, a bag with suspected marijuana was found in his sock, Chaney alleged in arrest reports.
HCSO Sgt. Shea Shaw arrived to assist. A leaking, crushed beer can was found under the driver’s seat on the back floorboard. One back seat passenger allegedly acknowledged it was the beer he’d admitted to recently drinking. HCSO Deputy Kevin Lester also arrived to assist with the stop.
Deputies took the front seat passenger, identified in reports as 42-year-old Jason Leon Shaw of Sulphur Springs, into custody. Jason Shaw allegedly admitted the substance was THC oil, resulting in a charge for possession of less than 1 gram of a Penalty Group 2 controlled substance, according to jail reports. Deputies issued possession of drug paraphernalia citations to two passengers, then released all four occupants except Jason Shaw, according to arrest reports. The suspected THC oil field-tested positive for THC, according to arrest reports.
Jason Leon Shaw was released from Hopkins County jail Sunday, May 3. Bond was set at $5,000 on the felony charge, according to jail reports.
If you have an emergency, dial 9-1-1
The Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office is located at 298 Rosemont Sulphur Springs, TX 75482. You can reach them for non-emergency matters at (903) 438-4040.
Development In Disinfectant Technology Built At CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital-Sulphur Springs
Sulphur Springs, Texas, May 4, 2020 – Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital-Sulphur Springs has taken steps to prevent any shortages of access to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) – and one of their efforts has resulted in a groundbreaking development in disinfectant technology. Thanks to critical thinking and the search for new and innovative ideas, team member Keith Kelley, identified a creative way to expand the life of existing supplies.
Kelley, who serves as Director of Administrative Services assisting the Chief Nursing Officer, recognized an opportunity to use an existing, specialized ultraviolet light at the hospital to sterilize N95 masks to allow their use more than once per person.
Following a study published by the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Kelley and the Infection Control team began to determine how using the existing Ultraviolet light may help the hospital disinfect certain PPE. Instead of setting this sterilization process up inside the hospital, using the guidance of the research and an enclosed cargo trailer, Kelley went to work building a “mobile” sterilization process.
As a generous gift to the CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs Foundation, Brian and Leesa Toliver of Brian Toliver Ford-Lincoln not only purchased the trailer, but also all of the components to build the decontamination trailer.
“My entire family is either in the medical field or car business,” explained Brian Toliver. “It is critically important for our hospital to have the equipment it needs to provide the best care for our community. In this time of need, we were happy to purchase this equipment that will be a benefit, not only to our hospital, but to surrounding hospitals as well as local businesses, now and in the future.”
With the help of the maintenance crew, Kelley electrically wired the trailer to power the UV lighting. After each use, Associates put their masks in a paper bag. Inside the decontamination trailer, the masks are hung across long thin wires, resembling a clothesline. The bag then goes through the sterilization process to decontaminate the N95 masks, making them reusable.
“The UV light is used to decontaminate rooms after patients leave. The ultraviolet light disrupts the coronavirus’s genetic material, deactivating it,” said Kelley. “Once the 5-minute process is complete, the masks are removed, put in a fresh, clean bag, and returned to their original owners for reuse.”
As some hospitals across the country face a critical N95 respirator mask shortage, Kelley and the infection control team at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs fought back with an innovative solution that can not only serve their hospital, but any healthcare facility looking to extend the life of their masks during this pandemic.
Trooper Catches Illinois Man In A Stolen Jeep
Texas Department Public Safety Trooper Arturo Ugalde Saturday morning took into custody following a traffic stop, a 52-year-old Illinois man in a stolen Jeep, according to arrest reports.
for Matthew Roy Person
Ugalde, assisted by sheriff’s deputies, stopped an eastbound gray 2019 Jeep Wrangler around 9:20 a.m. May 2 on Interstate 30 near mile marker 118. The vehicle matched the description of one that’d been reported to Dallas police as stolen.
The driver and lone occupant, Matthew Roy Person of Downers Grove, Illinois, was detained. Person allegedly gave conflicting accounts of how he came into possession of the vehicle and could not provide any rental paperwork associated with the vehicle.
The vehicle was confirmed through Dallas Police Department to be the one reported stolen, resulting in Person’s arrest for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, according to arrest reports. Hopkins County Sheriff‘s Deputy Aaron Chaney transported the 52-year-old Illinois man to Hopkins County jail, where he was booked on the UUMV charge.
Person, who is also known by the aliases was released from Hopkins County jail Sunday, May 3, 2020. Bond on the UUMV charge was set at $5,000, according to jail reports.
Toddler Reportedly Hit By Vehicle Sunday Afternoon
A toddler was reportedly hit by a vehicle in Como Sunday afternoon.
Hopkins County and Como firefighters, Hopkins County Sheriff‘s deputies and EMS, and Texas Department of Public Safety troopers responded at 3:15 p.m. May 3 on McBride Street in Como to a crash reported to involve a vehicle and a toddler. A neighbor was reportedly driving the vehicle which hit the small child.
The toddler reportedly sustained what appeared to be minor injuries. However, the child was reportedly care-flighted to an area trauma center to be checked out as a precaution due to the nature of the injury, according to sheriff’s reports.
