FGH Firsts

1952

First area hospital to establish a school for practical nurses

1968

First area hospital to offer cobalt therapy to provide radiation therapy to cancer patients

First area hospital to establish a Coronary Care Unit (CCU) for the specialized care of heart patients

First area hospital to establish a Poison Control Center for prevention and treatment of accidental poisonings

1969

First area hospital to establish an emergency helicopter service, now United States' longest continuously operating air ambulance service

1970

First South Mississippi corneal transplant performed by Dr. Stoney Williamson, ophthalmologist.

First area hospital to perform hearing tests on newborns

1971

First South Mississippi renal dialysis

First pacemaker implanted in region

1972

First total hip surgery in area

First area hospital to install Laminar Airflow System for reducing airborne contaminants

1973

First area hospital to acquire a Pho-Gamma Scintillation camera for use in diagnosis and treatment of cancer

First hospital to establish a chaplaincy program

1974

First area hospital to establish a bacteriology laboratory

1975

First area hospital to implement remote cardiac monitoring for cardiac patients in other South Mississippi hospitals

1976

First hospital to transmit EKG signal via satellite, transmitted from an ambulance near Montgomery, Ala., to Forrest General's Emergency Services (broadcast by CBS and NBC)

First area hospital to install a pacemaker via Swan-Ganz method (Dr. Ben Carmichael)

First area hospital to open a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)

1977

First area hospital to install a CAT Scanner (computerized axial tomography)

1978

First area hospital to open a Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory

1980

First arthroscopic surgery performed in area

First Neonatal Transport Unit established

1982

First area hospital to establish a "Stroke Team" for providing specialized care to stroke patients

1983

First insulin pump used on patient by Dr. Phillip Rogers

First use of telemetry (cardiac monitoring) by Dr. Tom Messer

First area Rehabilitation Unit established

1984

First Mississippi hospital to install an Argon-Krypton laser

First Mississippi hospital to use a Nd:YAG unit

First area hospital to acquire a CO2 laser

1985

First cardiovascular surgery in area performed by Dr. David Stephens

# First Sleep Disorders Center in area established

1986

First angioplasty procedure performed in Forrest General Catheterization Laboratory by Dr. Gerald Lowrimore and Ben Carmichael

First to establish extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy for treatment of kidney stones

First Mississippi tissue bank

1987

First Mississippi hospital to offer laser angioplasty

First area hospital to use linear accelerator for radiation therapy in cancer patients

1988

First area hospital to install a permanent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) unit

1989

First area hospital to establish a cardiac network for providing prompt treatment to heart attack victims in rural areas

First area hospital to establish a Diabetes Care Center

1990

First area hospital to offer a dedicated Inpatient Women's Unit

1991

First area hospital to use 3-D imaging in Radiology Services

1992

First neonatologist begins practicing in Forrest General's NICU (Dr. Clinton White)

1993

First area hospital to offer a Mobile Mammography Unit for providing mammograms to women in their South Mississippi hometowns

First neonatal surgery performed by Dr. Vinay Kumar on a two-pound infant

1995

First area hospital to offer Strontium 89 for treating pain in cancer patients

First to employ use of biofix, a bioabsorbable implant used in orthopedic surgeries (Dr. David Bomboy)

First CO2 arteriogram performed by Dr. Ronald Young as an alternative to the conventional dye method

First electrophysiology studies performed at Forrest General's Cardiac Center of Excellence

First hospital to use rotablator heart catheterization (Dr. Thad Waites)

1996

First area hospital to offer Stem Cell Transplanting as a treatment for cancer patients (Dr. Nagen Bellare) following a partnership with M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

First hospital to offer Stereotactic Breast Biopsy as an alternative to surgical breast biopsies

1997

First Neuroscience Center established

First implantable defibrillator installed (Dr. Eric Enger)

First area hospital to perform an off-pump open-heart surgery

1998

First area hospital to perform microendoscopic discectomy (MED) for neurosurgical patients (Dr. Michael Fromke)

First area hospital to offer the Vagus Nerve Stimulator for epilepsy patients (Dr. Wendell Helveston, Dr. Bernie McHugh and Dr. Fromke)

First area hospital to provide 24-hour access to a centralized call center free to the general public (FGH OnCall)

1999

First area hospital to offer transmyocardial revascularization (TMR) for patients suffering from angina (Dr. Robert Robbins)

2000

First Mississippi hospital to offer the Angiojet procedure for cardiac patients (Dr. Thad Waites)

2001

Cardiologists at Forrest General became the first in South Mississippi to use brachytherapy, a procedure to prevent renarrowing of a previously treated artery, on heart patients.

Forrest General's Cardiovascular Center of Excellence became the first in Mississippi to offer the NOGA Mapping System to more easily determine which patients are appropriate for heart surgery.

2002

First hospital in South Mississippi to use new high-definition 3-D imaging in obstetrical and intracranial medical diagnoses

First hospital in South Mississippi to use a new minimally-invasive medical procedure to help treat spine fractures caused by osteoporosis (Dr. David Lee)

First in Mississippi to offer Advantx LCA/LP+ imaging system to diagnose problems related to the vascular system

2003

First South Mississippi hospital to use new drug-coated stent in blood vessels around the heart, lessening the risk of scar tissue forming a reblockage (Dr. Eric Enger)

2004

First in region to implement new Stryker 1088 HD cameras in operating rooms

First in Pine Belt to offer 16-slice computed tomography

Cardiologists among the first in the United States to receive training on the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) approved Filterwire EX Embolic Protection System

2005

First in South Mississippi to Implement Computerized Physician Order Entry System

First in state to offer 64-slice computed tomography

Offers Mississippi’s first Heart Check Center blood pressure screening kiosks in public venues

2006

First in Pine Belt to Implement National Campaign to Save 100,000 Lives

Only Hospital in the State to Offer Developmental Care Program for Newborn Intensive Care

First in Mississippi to offer Signa® EXCITE High Definition 3Tesla™ MRI scanner

First hospital in state designated a HeartCaring-certified hospital

Only hospital in South Mississippi to be designated a UnitedHealth Premium cardiac specialty center

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