Unique partnership bolsters medical services Published Oct. 9, 2009 By Steve Pivnick 81st Medical Group Public Affairs KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- Keesler Medical Center and Memorial Hospital at Gulfport have joined in a unique partnership offering several medical subspecialties to Mississippi Gulf Coast residents for the first time. The Keesler facility and Memorial Hospital signed a training affiliation agreement in April 2009 for subspecialists in pediatrics and obstetrics and gynecology to provide care for military and civilian patients on the Coast in association with Memorial Hospital and its surrounding clinics. The agreement expands the population base for these particular subspecialists, helping the physicians increase proficiency in the latest medical skills and techniques, as well as, providing a platform for the return of pediatric and OB/GYN residencies to the Keesler facility. Commenting on the partnership, Brig. Gen. (Dr.) Dan Wyman, 81st Medical Group commander, said, "The Keesler Medical Center physicians will provide the only care in these particular subspecialties on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, expanding the capability and capacity for pediatric and OB/GYN medical care within our community." The pediatric subspecialists include: Maj. (Dr.) Jessica Cowden, pediatric infectious disease, provides inpatient and outpatient consultation for children with suspected or proven infection, chronic or recurrent infections, fever of unknown origin, exposure to infectious diseases and travel medicine. Lt. Col. (Dr.) Stephen Nelson, pediatric neurologist, currently provides inpatient and outpatient consultation for children with suspected or proven neurological disorders, including seizures, headaches, developmental delay and movement disorders. Maj. (Dr.) Matt Goldman, pediatric gastroenterologist, provides inpatient and outpatient consultation for children with suspected or proven gastrointestinal diseases including inflammatory bowel disease, constipation and abdominal pain syndromes. Lt. Col. (Dr.) Thomas Newton, pediatric hematologist/oncologist, provides an outpatient clinic with full infusion and transfusion services and inpatient care for children with cancer, sickle cell anemia and other hematologic disorders. His clinic will be part of the Children's Oncology Group through Children's Hospital of New Orleans and will offer enrollment on cooperative cancer treatment protocols. Obstetrics and gynecology subspecialties include: Maj. (Dr.) Keri Baacke, maternal fetal medicine, provides inpatient and outpatient consultation services to include specialized ultrasound and management of high-risk pregnancies. Maj. (Dr.) Chad Hamilton, gynecologic oncologist, provides inpatient and outpatient consultation treatment for the full spectrum of gynecologic malignancies to include ovarian, uterine, cervical, vaginal and vulvar cancers. General Wyman noted, "This relationship between Keesler Medical Center and Memorial Hospital at Gulfport is a 'win for all.' Our medical center is one of approximately five Air Force medical facilities housing subspecialty physicians and services and serves as training platforms for multiple physician residencies." "The win-win for the communities we serve is the expansion of children's services and the availability of maternal-fetal medicine. This partnership will also increase access to Memorial's neonatal intensive care unit for premature infants. It's also important to recognize the support of Memorial's medical staff for these services," said Gary Marchand, Memorial Hospital president/CEO. "This agreement with Memorial Hospital at Gulfport and the community expands our population base as well as provides us access to Memorial's facilities, including its neonatal intensive care unit, pediatric inpatient unit, hematology and oncology clinics and other inpatient services. This improves our ability to ensure the subspecialists maintain their currency and competency as we execute our health-care delivery mission at Keesler, within our community and across the globe," said General Wyman. Col. Martha Stokes, director of the 81st MDG Graduate Medical Education program added, "These pediatric and ob/gyn physicians will significantly enhance the capability to care for patients within our medical community. In addition, since patients can be cared for locally, there will be less disruption to families who previously were required to travel an hour or more for similar subspecialty care."