SALISBURY — Tom Loeblein of Healthcare Management Consultants has been awarded the 2012 Paul E. Fisher Volunteer of the Year Award.

The Rowan County Chamber of Commerce presents the prestigious annual award to an individual who has contributed substantially to the success of the chamber.

Loeblein served on the board of directors since 2004, including three years as treasurer. He was chairman of the board in 2011.

Loeblein was active in the organization during his nine years on the board, including serving as a membership drive team captain numerous times and participating in the chamber’s annual trip to Washington, D.C.

Hospital earns A for safety efforts

SALISBURY — Rowan Regional Medical Center has received an A for hospital safety from the Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit run by employers and other large purchasers of health benefits.

Leapfrog released its hospital safety scorecard last month, rating more than 2,600 general hospitals on errors, injuries, accidents and infections.

Carolinas Medical Center-NorthEast in Concord received a B.

The Hospital Safety Score, LeapFrog’s new initiative, is compiled under the guidance of national experts on patient safety using , LeapFrog said. Rowan Regional received an A in June 2012 as well.

“Patient safety is paramount at Rowan Regional,” said Dari Caldwell, hospital president. “We are so proud to achieve this perfect score again as our entire staff works hard to deliver the safest and highest quality medical care.”

The score is based on 26 measures, such as whether newborns receive recommended screenings and how often workers wash their hands.

Some hospitals, including the American Hospital Association, have criticized the scores as inaccurate. Leapfrog is defending its A-to-F scoring system and announced in December it will partner with Johns Hopkins’ Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety and Quality on its scoring methodology.

To see scores, visit the Hospital Safety Score website at www.hospitalsafetyscore.org .

Cabarrus chamber annual meeting

CONCORD — The Cabarrus Regional Chamber of Commerce will host the 2013 Annual Meeting on Friday, Jan. 18, at the Embassy Suites of Concord.

The meeting is a celebration of 2012 business accomplishments and will host more than 400 business owners and leaders in Cabarrus County. Among those receiving awards, Mike Downs, Cabarrus County manager, Mike Legg, Kannapolis manager and Brian Hiatt, Concord manager will be presented with Executive Level Leadership Awards.

 Keynote speaker for the event is Rep. Richard Hudson, representing North Carolina’s 8th Congressional District.

 Tickets are still available, contact Danielle Sumrell at dsumrell@cabarrus.biz to reserve seats.

IHOP offering free pancakes Feb. 5

IHOP will once again offer free pancakes during National Pancake Day on Feb. 5 while celebrating Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals’ 30th anniversary. On this day, the restaurant chain hopes to raise $3 million.

The company’s more than 1,500 restaurants across the country will invite guests to enjoy a complimentary stack of buttermilk pancakes from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Guests will be encouraged to make a contribution to the local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital or other local charities.

This is the eighth year that IHOP has held National Pancake Day, which to date has raised more than $10 million dollars for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and other local charities. In 2012 alone, IHOP raised more than $3 million.

Guests also have an option of purchasing “Miracle Balloons” for $1 and $5 each throughout January.

For more information, visit www.ihoppancakeday.com .

New weight loss plan at Curves of Rockwell

ROCKWELL — Curves of Rockwell is offering a new weight loss program that offers exercise, customized meal plans and coaching in one integrated program.  

Preliminary results from those who participated in the program before its January public launch show that nearly 100 percent of weight lost on Curves Complete is body fat, compared to conventional diets in which weight lost typically includes up to 30 percent muscle tissue. By preserving lean muscle, Curves Complete helps maintain or even boost the body’s metabolism for better long term results.

“Ninety-five percent of dieters fail — or lose weight only to gain it all back — not because there’s something wrong with them, but because there’s something wrong with conventional diets,” said Curves’ Director of Exercise & Research Katie Mitchell. “It takes a combination of three things: exercise, diet, and coaching, or motivation, to successfully lose weight as body fat rather than lean muscle and then keep it off.”

For more information, call Curves of Rockwell, 229 E. Main St., Suite 101, at 704-279-4936 or email 9B2G2PO@curvesmail.com or visit www.curves.com .

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