NMMC Radiation Oncology

Led by interventional cardiologist Dr. Barry Bertolet, a team from North Mississippi Medical Center’s Heart and Vascular Institute recently became the first in Mississippi to implant a new dissolvable stent for people with blocked arteries below the knee.

The Esprit BTK System is made from materials similar to dissolving sutures. “Once the blockage is open, we implant the device through a very small incision in the leg,” Dr. Bertolet explains. “The scaffold helps heal the vessel and provides support
until it is strong enough to remain open on its own—then it dissolves.”

Chronic limb-threatening ischemia below-the knee is a severe form of peripheral arterial disease that occurs when arteries become clogged with plaque, and blood flow and oxygen can’t reach the lower leg and foot. “When this happens, people experience extreme pain, open wounds that don’t heal and, in some cases, may have to resort to amputation,” Dr. Bertolet says. “Until now, there were limited treatment options approved for blocked arteries below the knee. We’re excited to be the first in Mississippi to introduce this technology.”

To learn more, visit www.nmhs.net/heart-vascular.

Dr. Trest Underwood, a recent graduate of North Mississippi Medical Center’s Internal Medicine Residency Program, has received the inaugural Dr. Max Taylor Award of Excellence.

A native of Seminary, Dr. Underwood holds a bachelor’s degree in health sciences from the University of Mississippi and began his health care career as a respiratory therapist at NMMC, working from 2014-2017.

After graduating from medical school at the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine in Auburn, Alabama, he returned to NMMC for the internal medicine residency program. He served as chief resident for 2023-2024. Dr. Underwood will now pursue a fellowship in pulmonary and critical care medicine at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson. Once he completes his fellowship, he’ll return to NMMC once again in 2027.

The award honors Dr. Max Taylor, an infectious disease specialist at NMMC-Tupelo for more than 40 years until his retirement in 2023. The award’s founders say Dr. Taylor’s expertise and compassion are surpassed only by his humility.

Read more at https://bit.ly/3VKDNcs.

Virtual nursing is improving patient care and giving bedside nurses more time to spend with patients.

https://bit.ly/4cqW6ZD

Pilot project brings virtual nurses to NMMC in Tupelo A new pilot project at the North Mississippi Medical Center is letting nurses work virtually.

Big news! Children's Clinic will soon have a new location to serve your family. Children's Clinic-Ecru is opening July 15.

Meanwhile, call Children's Clinic located in Fairpark in Downtown Tupelo at (662) 377-7337.

When Nettleton truck driver Jimmy Garrett learned he was at risk for stroke, doctors showed him an alternate route.

Jimmy had open heart surgery in 2019 to bypass clogged arteries. During his annual heart checkup at Cardiology Associates of North Mississippi, Dr. Michael Boler discovered Jimmy now had blockages in the carotid arteries in his neck.

Read more of Jimmy's story at: https://www.nmhs.net/connect/keep-on-truckin/

If your weight is weighing you down, here’s good news. For a limited time, new self-pay patients will receive $1,000 off their procedure. If you’ve been considering weight loss surgery, now’s the time.

Your weight is over.

Visit https://www.nmhs.net/medical-services/weight-loss-surgery/ to learn more.

NMMC implements cutting-edge heart procedures TUPELO — During his 26 years as an interventional cardiologist at North Mississippi Medical Center, Dr. Barry Bertolet has been on the leading edge of innovation.

Once again, we’re leading cardiac care right here in Tupelo.

Dr. Barry Bertolet, interventional cardiologist at North Mississippi Medical Center, is the first doctor in the nation to use the Canon AI-powered Dynamic Device Stabilizer (DDS) to treat coronary artery diseases. Dr. Bertolet uses DDS to help precisely position balloons and stents during heart procedures in the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory. “In the Cath Lab, being able to see what you are doing is key for diagnosis and optimal treatment,” Dr. Bertolet says. “That’s the beauty of high definition and AI working together.” To learn more about NMMC’s heart services, visit nmhs.net/heart.

People who know Brett Hildenbrand of Tupelo would describe him as “the picture of health.”

In addition to being a successful dentist and entrepreneur, Brett is a seasoned athlete. He co-owns Peak Fitness in Saltillo and is an avid basketball and tennis player. In fact, his basketball team recently qualified for the 2025 Senior Olympics.

“I exercise a ton,” Brett says. “I don’t have high cholesterol. I don’t eat bad. I don’t drink. I don’t smoke. So, what happened kind of came as a shock to everybody.”

https://tinyurl.com/3s2vkrka

North Mississippi Medical Center Rehabilitation Services will sponsor free Adaptive Water Ski Clinics on Tuesday, June 11, and Wednesday, July 17.

The clinics will be held at Boar’s Head Lake on State Park Road near Tombigbee State Park for individuals who are at least one year post-spinal cord injury or traumatic brain injury, or who have other physical limitations.

Participation is limited, and registration is required. To register call the NMMC Outpatient Rehabilitation Center at (662) 377-7215 or 1-800-THE DESK (1-800-843-3375).

On Aug. 3, 2023, Al Labiche of Shannon was mowing his lawn, despite a heat index of 106 degrees.

“While I was mowing, I had bad acid reflux and chest pain. I had changed a tire the day before, and I thought maybe I had just pulled a muscle,” Al says. “Then I switched to trimming the weeds, and the trimmer got so heavy I could barely hold it up. I knew something was bad wrong.”

Al called his wife and told her he was going inside to lie down for a bit—but fortunately, both thought better of it, and she called 9-1-1 instead.

Read more at the link in our bio.

Thank you to the Gilmore Foundation for your generous support.

North Mississippi Medical Center’s CareFlight air and ground teams recently began using a new fluid warmer system to improve survival of trauma patients receiving emergency IV fluids and blood products. Many of the trauma patients our teams transport to the hospital have hypothermia (body temperature lower than 95 degrees Fahrenheit).

Most people are familiar with primary hypothermia, which occurs in extreme cold. Secondary hypothermia affects people whose heat-balancing mechanisms are disrupted by a medical issue or trauma. To combat hypothermia, our teams wrap patients in blankets, dry off patients who are wet and adjust the heat in the helicopter or ambulance (even during summer).

Refrigerated blood products –and even IV fluids given at room temperature—can contribute to hypothermia. While patients certainly benefit from these products, the fluids should be warmed first—which this new system does easily and efficiently.

To learn more about emergency services, visit https://www.nmhs.net/medical-services/emergency-trauma/

Melvin Langley, 81, of Tupelo had his first open heart surgery in 1995 and another in 2011. His heart rocked along well until a few years ago, when heart failure became a real problem. “It’s hard for me to breathe and to get up and move around,” he says.

Thankfully, innovative technology at North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo offers dramatic results—a procedure called aquapheresis that removes extra fluid from the body.

https://www.nmhs.net/lightening-the-load/

When life gets busy, we may neglect our friendships and relationships. But research has shown that the single most important predictor of happiness and a long life is having strong relationships. Health measures like heart rate and blood pressure can even improve with positive social interactions.

In this week's episode of Small Steps for Better Health, licensed counselor Clark Hunt tells us about the importance of social connection and some easy steps you can take to improve yours.

https://tinyurl.com/mppjz65u

On National Cancer Survivor Day, we salute all cancer survivors, from the newly diagnosed to those who count their journey in decades.

In appreciation, we want to share the stories of survivors who inspired us over the past year.

NMMC Cancer Care is celebrating the journey of cancer survivors during June. Please drop by and show your survivor spirit by wearing a Hawaiian shirt.

June 3
8 a.m.-4 p.m. NMMC Hematology Oncology-Tupelo, 961 S. Gloster
7 a.m.-3 p.m. Radiation Oncology-Tupelo, 990 S. Madison

June 17
8 a.m.-4 p.m. Cancer Care-Starkville

Thank you to everyone who works so hard to raise funds for cancer patients.

Whether you’re newly diagnosed or a 20+ year survivor, the NMMC Cancer Care team wants to celebrate your journey.

We invite cancer survivors to drop by NMMC Cancer Care locations in Tupelo and Starkville. Show your survivor spirit by wearing a Hawaiian shirt.

Monday, June 3
Hematology Oncology-Tupelo
961 S. Gloster
8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Radiation Oncology-Tupelo
990 S. Madison
7 a.m.-3 p.m.

Monday, June 17
Cancer Care-Starkville
1205 Hwy 182
8 a.m.-4 p.m.

Reimbursement in health care is a complicated subject, but it’s important to understand how reimbursement impacts North Mississippi Health Services and why we needed to make a change.

Join us for a new podcast episode featuring our President/CEO Shane Spees and VP of Payor Strategy and Partnerships Wally Davis.

Our new payment model we are working to shift to is more patient-centered and aligns better with our mission than ever before.

Tune in or read more here: https://www.nmhs.net/connect/changing-how-we-are-reimbursed-a-great-redesign/

When Dr. Lonnie Miller traveled to visit family in January 2023, no one could have imagined how this trip would change his life.

Dr. Miller, who grew up near Fulton, is a hematologist-oncologist based in Pensacola, Florida. At the time of the trip, he was completing a short-term assignment in Colorado and flew from there to Memphis. He rented a car and, because his flight arrived late at night, he checked into a hotel rather than disturb family.

But when no one had heard from Lonnie the following day and he wasn’t replying to calls or texts, his girlfriend, Dr. Heather Steele, started to worry. She asked the local police to check on Lonnie in his hotel room; they did and replied that he was asleep and snoring. By 11 p.m. and still no word, “I begged the officers to go back and check on him again,” she says. “He wasn’t snoring… he was in trouble.”

https://www.nmhs.net/connect/tragedy-to-triumph/

Did you know that the carotid arteries are responsible for up to one-third of strokes? If you have one or more of these risk factors, you may be at risk for carotid artery disease.

Atherosclerosis, a condition where fatty deposits build in the inner layer of the arteries and form plaque, is the leading cause of carotid artery disease. Plaque narrows the arteries and can completely block blood flow to the brain.

Your risk for carotid artery disease also increases with age. Other risk factors for developing carotid artery stenosis may include:
• Diabetes
• Genetics - your risk goes up if your parents or relatives have it.
• Age and gender. Men are more likely to get it before 75, and women are at higher risk after 75.
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Obesity
• Smoking and using other to***co products
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Race. Although anyone can be at risk, African American and Hispanic people are more likely to develop this disease.

Learn more at www.nmhs/vascular.

We often think of depression as being sad, gloomy or “down in the dumps.” However, there is much more to depression than that.

Depression: You Are Not Alone | Connect | North Mississippi Health Services If you or someone you know suffers from depression, please seek help. Depression is treatable and manageable, and you are not alone.

When it comes to your heart, you should know that many of the nation’s latest cardiovascular procedures got their start right here in Tupelo.

Read more about our team's "firsts" and "onlys" here:

https://www.nmhs.net/connect/in-the-heart-of-north-mississippi/

Here's to another FIRST for North Mississippi Medical Center! Interventional cardiologist Dr. Barry Bertolet recently became the first physician in Mississippi to treat patients with revolutionary new technology for acute pulmonary embolism—a blood clot in one of the blood vessels in the lung. The Bashir device, developed by Thrombolex Inc., enables doctors to customize treatment to achieve the best outcome for each patient. This device helps deliver very small doses of thrombolytic medicine to break up or dissolve life-threatening blood clots safely, effectively and quickly.

In addition, patients who are treated using the Bashir device likely will avoid a stay in the Intensive Care Unit after their procedure. This is yet another way we're leading cardiac care, right here.

nmhs.net/heart

Never miss an appointment again. Subscribe to our appointment text reminder service today.

Text START to 60324.

Sometimes, what you don’t know can, indeed, hurt you.

Such was the case for Heather Wilf of Amory.

As a cardiology nurse for many years, Heather knows the perils of heart disease. In addition to her professional experience with heart patients, her father underwent open heart surgery when he was in his 50s. So, when Heather began experiencing occasional heart palpitations a few years ago, she became concerned.

Read more of Heather's story at: https://www.nmhs.net/connect/ignorance-is-not-always-bliss/

What you eat plays a key role in your health and quality of life. However, making major changes to your diet all at once is not sustainable. Starting with small changes is less overwhelming and can make a huge difference in your future. Reaching smaller goals more consistently will help you believe in yourself and build momentum.

This week's Small Step for Better Health is to cook just one more meal at home this week than normal. In this podcast episode, registered dietitian Emily Littlejohn talks to us about how eating at home can improve our health, and the blog post has several simple recipes.

https://tinyurl.com/24zfeue4

Did you know that every 40 seconds, someone in the United States has a stroke? 80% of strokes are preventable. Learn the signs of stroke and talk to your doctor if you think you may be at risk for a stroke. Learn more at nmhs.net/stroke.

North Mississippi Medical Center-Tupelo will offer free stroke screening between 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesday May 14, in the main lobby, 830 S. Gloster St., Tupelo.

Today and always, we are grateful for everyone who cares for our patients. Your dedication is inspiring.

During these weeks and always, we're grateful to the many health care professionals who dedicate their lives to keeping our communities and patients safe and healthy. Happy Health Care Week AND Nurses Week, NMHS!

It's that time of year again! Allergy symptoms can be triggered by a variety of things - pollen being a major culprit. Family medicine physician Dr. Tyler Crosswhite gives us some great tips in this blog post for how to survive allergy season.

It's That Time of Year Again | Connect | North Mississippi Health Services Allergy symptoms can be triggered by a variety of things – pollen being a major culprit. Our body sees pollen as an “invader” and responds by producing allergy symptoms.