DeKalb Regional Medical Center

Chamber Chatter
Carol Beddingfield
Executive Director

Congratulations to Chief Executive Officer Jeff Rains and the staff of the DeKalb Regional Medical Center. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama recently awarded the DRMC its sixth consecutive Tier 1 status.
What does this mean for you? The recognition is based largely on quality of care based on national quality standards, infection control rates and transparency.
If you have Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance, it could also mean you pay the lowest rates available for co-pay.
Improvements are continuously made at the hospital. A picture archival and communication system that allows diagnostic imaging exams be stored digitally was recently added. The report can then be sent to your doctor on a CD.
The exams are permanently archived in case your doctor needs them in the future.
DRMC is offering the newest advancement in surgery, the Single Incision Laparoscopic Surgery. This procedure replaces the three to four incisions required by standard laparoscopic surgeries with just one incision in the belly button.
According to Dr. Jeffery Thompson, "This procedure has the potential for elimination of visible scars and the potential to be applied to numerous other conditions requiring surgery."
SILSTM provides less discomfort and faster recovery time than standard laparoscopic surgeries. Dr. Steve Isbell is also a proponent of the one incision surgery. He believes that the procedure will be useful in many general surgical and gynecological operations.
Our town may be small in comparison but we definitely have one of the best medical facilities in our area. It is through leadership such as hospital CEO Jeff Rains that improvements continued to be made.