11/08/2018-Mt. Carmel Police arrested 22 year old Hannah E. Dehner of Olney after she was stopped for a traffic violation. During the traffic stop it was discovered that her license was suspended. During the arrest of Dehner police located a glass smoking device. Dehner was transported to the Wabash County Jail where she was cited for driving while license is suspended, operating an uninsured motor vehicle, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Dehner was held pending the posting of bond.
Hiding Under A Trampoline Doesn't Help Man Avoid Arrest
11/09/2018-Mt. Carmel Police arrested 53 year old Scott A. Wagner on a Wabash County failure to appear warrant. Officers first located Wagner in the 200 block of W. 7th Street. The arresting officer reported that Wagner ran from the police but was quickly located hiding under a trampoline. MCPD officers were assisted by the Wabash County Sheriff's Office.
Evansville Man Arrested By MCPD Following Traffic Stop
UPDATE:
DOYLE C. CARROLL of Evansville was arrested by the Mt. Carmel Police Department for possession of narcotics. Carroll was released due to medical conditions. However, the case is still under investigation. Carroll was released without being formally charged.
11/10/2018-Mt. Carmel Police arrested 45 year old Doyle Cledus Carroll Jr. of Evansville after the vehicle he was operating was stopped by Mt. Carmel Police. During the traffic stop it was discovered that he was in possession of a controlled substance and cannabis. Carroll was arrested and transported to the Wabash County Jail where he was charged with possession of a controlled substance. Carroll was also cited for possession of cannabis. MCPD K9 Ace assisted in the arrest.
Mt. Carmel Man Back In Jail Following Domestic Battery Arrest
11/13/2018-Mt. Carmel Police arrested 47 year old Donald Scott Baird of Mt. Carmel after police were notified of a disturbance in the 300 block of Cherry Street. The complainant advised that Baird struck him in the face during an argument. Baird was arrested and transported to the Wabash County Jail where he was charged with domestic battery. Baird was held pending the posting of bond.
Deadline Is Tomorrow To Sign Up For Thanksgiving Phase Of Operation Share
Time is running out for Wabash County families to register for the Thanksgiving phase of Operation Share. Debbie Meyer of WADI says Thursday is the deadline to make sure your family can enjoy a Thanksgiving meal…
Meyer said families will enjoy a complete Thanksgiving meal…
Meyer said those signing up will be given a time to pick up their food. There are no income guidelines for the meals. Last year, 345 families in Wabash County were helped at Thanksgiving through Operation Share.
For Christmas meals, signups end on December 13th with the distribution set for December 18th at Zion Lutheran Church.
Christmas toy signups ended on December 6th with the distribution at First Christian Church on December 11th.
Operation Share is a joint effort of the Wabash County Ministerial Association & Wabash Area Development, Inc.
Officials Prepare For Disaster Drill Friday At MCHS
Local law enforcement and school officials are making a concerted push to ensure the public is aware of the school disaster drill this Friday at Mt. Carmel High School. The drill will begin around 12:30 shortly after students have been released for the day. While shooting drills have been commonplace since 2007 in local schools, officials say Friday’s scenario will be the biggest one yet involving several agencies that would respond should an actual disaster occur.
On Tuesday’s Morning Show, we talked with ISP Sgt. Mark Zimmerman, MCPD Detective Sgt. Ryan Turner, and District #348 Superintendent Dr. Chuck Bleyer about what will happen on Friday…
Also participating on Friday will be the Wabash County Sheriff’s Office, District #348 employees, Mt. Carmel Fire, WEMA, Wabash General Hospital, and State Police. It is expected that the area around the High School will be congested and motorists are encouraged to avoid the area around this time period. The scenario is expected to last approximately 3 hours.
WSJD File Photo of Sheriff Derek Morgan participating in a shooting scenario from 2015.
1st Snow Always Means More Wrecks
The big question on everyone’s mind today is….how much, if any, snow will we get? Forecasts range anywhere from an all rain event, freezing rain, or some models suggest we could get a half foot of snow or more. And while the amount is still unknown at this time, one thing is for sure…the first snow of the season is always a mess on the roads according to Sgt. Mark Zimmerman of the Illinois State Police…
For local roads, the city of Mt. Carmel took delivery last week on 150 tons of salts, officials had hoped they wouldn’t have to begin using this early in the season.
Two Mt. Carmel Veterans Honored By State
Two Wabash County veterans are among the recipients of the Bicentennial Honor 200 announced by the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs and the Illinois Bicentennial Office. Loyal “Andy” Anderson and Tom Ford, both of Mt. Carmel, are among the 200 veterans who “continue to make extraordinary contributions to the people of Illinois”. Veterans Affairs Director Stephen Curda says the 200 vets will be honored for their community service and dedication at the Illinois Bicentennial Celebration next month….
The recipients represent more than 50 counties across the state. Nominees were evaluated based on their achievements, and on the extent to which their contributions have aided, benefited and provided inspiration to their community at large. In addition, nominees must have received an honorable discharge from the U.S. military and reside in Illinois.
Wabash General Hospital gains ‘5-Star’ rating, wins top honors for healthcare excellence
The Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network (ICAHN) recently recognized Wabash General Hospital, Mt. Carmel, for its ongoing commitment to exceptional quality of care, during a ceremony held October 29th at the I-Hotel and Conference Center, Champaign, IL.
As part of the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Program (MBQIP), Wabash General Hospital and other critical access hospitals were asked to voluntarily participate in four defined domains of quality outcomes. These four domains include: Patient Safety/Inpatient; Patient Engagement; Care Transitions; and Outpatient Measures.
“Often, in rural hospitals, having a devoted staff member to abstract and submit this data can be both time-consuming and burdensome,” said Angie Charlet, ICAHN Director of Quality, Educational Services, and Compliance. “This hospital realizes how important quality of care and an engaged staff is for its patients…From its top leadership on throughout the facility, each strives for continued quality on a daily basis, and that is what we are celebrating today.”
Wabash General Hospital was recognized for its quality of care outcomes (for participating in all measures in all four domains), for being a top performer (over 95%) over two years in two domains, and for achieving a ‘5-Star’ HCAHPS Rating. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) created the HCAHPS Star Ratings for consumers to more quickly and easily access the patient experience of care information provided on the Hospital Compare website. Star ratings will also allow consumers to more easily compare hospitals.
“We are very proud of our team for achieving this level of excellence in health quality,” said Jay Purvis, CEO. “This is truly a team effort that recognizes our dedication to delivering a healthcare experience of which our patients and staff can be proud.”
ICAHN is a network of 57 small rural Illinois hospitals dedicated to strengthening the operations of its member hospitals through collaboration. The organization is composed of Illinois hospitals who have earned critical access hospital designation by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. ICAHN is recognized nationally for its work with rural healthcare and administers several state, federal, and private healthcare programs. The ICAHN office is located in Princeton, IL, and serves critical access hospitals across Illinois and is a nationally recognized state rural health network.
Tamara Gould (left), VP of Clinical Services; Karissa Turner, Executive VP of Hospital Operations; Jay Purvis, President and CEO; Andrew Kleinschmidt, Director of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation; and Kim Pearson, Director of Quality and Risk Management, all of WGH, accept MBQIP Awards for exceptional quality care, top performance, and for achieving a “5-Star” HCAHPS rating. Wabash General Hospital also won ICAHN’s “Excellence in Innovation” Award for its Joint Camp, and Mr. Purvis received ICAHN’s first-ever “Lifetime Achievement Award” for his 50 years of service.
Wabash General Hospital Gains ICAHN’s 2018 ‘Excellence in Innovation’ Award
Wabash General Hospital, Mt. Carmel, was awarded the Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network’s “Excellence in Innovation” honor for its Joint Camp program during ceremonies held October 29th at the I-Hotel and Conference Center, Champaign, IL.
Participants vying for the award were encouraged to submit innovations implemented at their respective hospitals which initiated a new approach to improve patient relationships, implemented a new process flow or life-safety improvement, found a creative way to motivate and inspire staff, or fostered a successful community project.
Due to the large volume of total joint replacement patients and the decrease in the pain management domain on their patient satisfaction surveys, WGH Director of Rehab Services developed a Joint Camp program for all total joint replacement patients.
“The camp was designed to prepare patients for surgery and recovery, reduce anxiety, encourage participation in their recovery, educate them on pre- and post-surgical expectations, and improve outcomes and satisfaction in general, “ said Kim Pearson, RN, CPHQ, CPPS, QI/RM, Quality Director. “Wabash General Hospital has witnessed a decrease in the length of stay, longer distances ambulated, and improved patient satisfaction by the patients that have attended this camp. The decreased length of stay has been a cost-savings for both the patient and the hospital, and this improved patient satisfaction has increased referrals, so it’s a win-win situation for all involved.”
ICAHN is a network of 57 small rural Illinois hospitals dedicated to strengthening the operations of its member hospitals through collaboration. The organization is composed of Illinois hospitals who have earned critical access hospital designation by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. ICAHN is recognized nationally for its work with rural healthcare and administers several state, federal, and private healthcare programs. The ICAHN office is located in Princeton, IL.
