Delta Regional Takes Giant Step Toward Limb Rehabilitation Breakthrough Technology Benefits Stroke and Neurological Patients By helping stroke victims regain hand control and grasp objects, they can now master tasks once believed impossible, thanks to highly sophisticated technology now available at Delta Regional Medical Center. Through a partnership with Bioness Inc., the rural hospital is among the first in the nation to offer the breakthrough therapy and serve as a regional evaluation and treatment site for patients interested in trying out the new device. LYNNE JETER

Insurance Commissioner Raps Use of 'RAP' Docs The Louisiana insurance commissioner, hospitals and physicians appear headed for a confrontation during the next legislative session over the billing practices of so-called RAP doctors, or radiologists, anesthesiologists and pathologists. "You go into Our Lady of the Lake... with the expectation that you have full coverage subject to your deductible and co-pay, and then out of left field comes a bill for thousands of dollars from an anesthesiologist you've never heard of..." TED GRIGGS

Hospitals Spared Medicaid Cuts So far, Louisiana's community hospitals have avoided a proposed change to the Medicaid program that the providers estimate would cut their funding by as much as $65 million over a two-year period. However, the standoff between the hospitals and state health officials over the Medicaid program's prior authorization system may soon be resolved. TED GRIGGS

Mississippi Gulf Coast Healthcare Industry Healing But Not All Post-Katrina Medical Projects are on Track In late October, Jackson County supervisors approved loaning $35 million to the Singing River Hospital System for projects at its two medical centers. The reconstruction project includes adding 20 beds to the Ocean Springs hospitals, bringing the total to 156 beds, and renovating and upgrading the emergency department at the 415-bed Singing River Hospital in Pascagoula. LYNNE JETER

Program Prepares USM Students for Jobs in Pharmaceutical Sales Drug Companies Recruit Marketing Majors at Job Fair A median salary of more than $50,000, no boss breathing down your neck and the ability to set your own schedule... who wouldn't want a job like that? Maybe that's why jobs as pharmaceutical sales representatives are in such demand. ROBYN JACKSON

Hattiesburg Based Ministry Organizes Foreign Mission Trips for Physicians, Dentists When Petal dentist Chuck Harrell made his first mission trip to Honduras, he thought he was just going to use his knowledge and skills to help poor people. He didn't realize how much the trip would help him. "It made me appreciate what I have more. I don't gripe and complain about things so much. I realize how blessed we are, not only as Americans," said Harrell, who will make his fifth trip in January. ROBYN JACKSON

New Treatments Offer Solace for Palliative Patients Over the years, patients at the end stages of life were faced with few options. Most were treated with pain killers and sedatives to ease their pain and increase their comfort. But, new treatments offer options that relieve symptoms — and even prolong life. The goal of palliative care is to improve the quality or lengthen the life of terminally ill patients. LISA HANCHEY

Physical Therapists Oppose Stark Laws Loophole That Allows Physicians to Offer In-Office PT Physical therapists across the Southeast would like to see an exemption removed from the Stark Laws that allows physicians to offer physical therapy services in their offices. They say it interferes with patient choice and costs private practice therapists money. ROBYN JACKSON

Mental Health Parity Becomes a Reality Although all the attention was focused on the financial ramifications of October's Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (HR 1424), mental health providers across the country rejoiced that patients were receiving a bailout of their own in terms of breaking down barriers to much-needed care. CINDY SANDERS

Facility Focus: River Parishes Hospital: Growth, Growth, Growth! They want to sell the old building, a 106 licensed-bed River Parishes Hospital (RPH) in LaPlace, La., built in 1982, and replace it with a brand new regional medical center. By September, the current hospital was already in the black for this year with a $1 million surplus, a positive signal of efficient operations for the owners, LifePoint Hospitals, Inc., according to Charlotte Dupré, CEO. "They are listening, and we're growing." BARBARA MCCONNELL

Dr. Dennis Mello No one ever has to plead with Dr. Dennis Mello to have a heart. It's an absolute necessity in his business, literally and figuratively. As a pediatric cardiovascular surgeon, he often delivers the most serious diagnoses for the most fragile of patients. It's a job he does well, for a number of reasons. PATRICIA GANNON

Rhett Hobgood, MD For E. Rhettson "Rhett" Hobgood, MD, initial interaction with the Jackson medical community came not in the role of practitioner but rather as patient. It was during his high-school years in Vicksburg that a football injury sent him to a Jackson orthopedist for treatment on a pars defect spinal injury. "He was very influential to me and helped me get better," Hobgood said. "I think that kind of directed my attention to medicine and probably orthopedics as well. LUCY SCHULTZE

Legislative Affairs During the 2008 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature, Sen. Ann Duplessis of New Orleans sponsored a Senate Resolution to create a healthy food retail study group. The first meeting of the study group was held at the Louisiana State Capitol on Tue., Oct. 21. The purpose of the study group is to develop recommendations for the creation of a statewide financing program to bring fresh food retailers into underserved areas and a plan to implement such. CINDY BISHOP