June 2018

HHS adds new Allied Health staff

Garrett Schwartz, DPT

Garrett Schwartz, DPT has joined the Physical Therapy team at Hamilton General Hospital. Garrett is a native of Priddy, TX and graduated high school from Goldthwaite High School. He went on to earn his Bachelor of Science degree at Angelo State University in San Angelo, TX. Garrett received his Doctor of Physical Therapy from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton, TX.

Garrett is dedicated to providing quality individualized care to all of his patients and is passionate about improving mobility to the citizens of Hamilton, Mills and surrounding counties.

 

Mistee Jefferies, APRN, PHMNP-BC

Mistee Jefferies joins the Special Care Clinic at Hamilton Healthcare System. Mistee was raised in Ohio but moved to Texas in the late 1990’s.  She has taught and practiced numerous skills to generations of student nurses and is now a board certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, licensed by the state of Texas in psychiatry and mental health.

She attended the University of Akron earning a Master’s degree in Communication. After teaching public speaking and speech

writing at Texas A&M University, she returned to school to become a registered nurse, practicing in Kentucky and Texas. As a nursing professor, Ms. Jefferies taught new generations of nurses at the Texas A&M University Health Science Center and at Central Texas College.  In 2014, Mistee returned to school to pursue an advanced practice degree in psychiatry and graduated Magna Cum Laude from Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas.  At each step, she earned honors and is a member of the National Nursing Honor Society, Sigma Theta Tau. Now board certified in psychiatry, she brings her skills of medicine management and psychotherapy to the population of Hamilton and surrounding areas.

 

Sarah Beshears, Athletic Trainer

Sarah Beshears joins the Specialty Services at Hamilton Healthcare System. In the Athletic Trainer role Sarah is a certified, licensed allied healthcare professional whose primary concern is the optimal health of student athletes and physically active individuals. Her role will be as a ‘bridge’ between physicians and athletes and are responsible for providing educational and community outreach activities and athletic training services to local high schools and club team sports.

Sarah was raised in Hamilton, TX and graduated from Hamilton High School in 2013. She attended Baylor University receiving a Bachelor of Science in athletic training in May this year. Sarah worked as a student athletic trainer for Baylor and received work experience with collegiate soccer, softball, acrobatics and tumbling, football, track and field, and local high schools. Sarah is very excited to be back in Hamilton. “I wouldn’t be who I am today without this little town so I can’t wait to make a difference in people’s lives along with Hamilton Healthcare System”, stated Sarah.

Disaster Drill- June 7th @3pm

More than 100 volunteers, hospital employees and local emergency responders will take part in a mock disaster drill on Thursday June 7th at Hamilton General Hospital.  The drill will test the preparedness and response of local and regional agencies should a real crisis occur.

The event staged by Hamilton County Emergency Preparedness Coordinator,  James Thompson, will focus on response plans for an actual disaster which would trigger a sudden influx of patients, media, concerned community members and the “worried well” to the hospital.

The full scale drill is being conducted in collaboration with multiple partner agencies including the Hamilton Police Department, Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office & Dispatch, City of Hamilton, County of Hamilton, Hamilton Volunteer Fire Department and Hamilton Healthcare System. Organizers caution that the event is a significant exercise and the local community can expect to see emergency responders at Hamilton General Hospital looking and acting as if it were a true disaster.   Normal hospital Emergency Department operations and patient care will not be affected by the drill in any way.

Hospitals are required to have disaster response plans in place and conduct periodic drills for improvement and training purposes.  “The goal of this exercise is to enhance working relationships and collaboration between the agencies and organizations involved” Thompson said.  “It’s a mock exercise, but it’s also a very real test of our ability to respond to an actual disaster.  We appreciate the cooperation of everyone involved.”