Inside AnMed Health: Winter 2017

Winter 2017

A farewell to warfarin Newly approved implant brings peace to patient

Out of the sun into the shade Hydrogel keeps organs away from radiation

The future of health care

Clinically integrated networks increase collaboration in care

You want the best for her. The top specialists, advanced treatments and the newest technologies.

So do we. That’s why we’ve teamed up with an emerging leader in cancer care, Levine Cancer Institute, part of Carolinas HealthCare System.

We’re working side-by-side with some of the country’s top cancer specialists to provide even more advanced expertise and treatment. So you know she’ll get the very best of care – with all the love and support she finds here at home.

To find the best cancer care possible, visit LoveAnMedHealth.org.

FROM THE CEO

AnMed Health staff demonstrates its best during the worst of times CONTENTS

4 Patients let go of warfarin thanks to WATCHMAN device 6 Hydrogel gives organs extra protection from radiation 8 Clinically Integrated Networks charged with improving care 11 News Briefs 13 Foundation News

Michael Coffin was pleased to find he wouldn’t have to go far to receive the latest innovation in treatment options for prostate cancer.

ON THE COVER:

Inside

ANMED HEALTH Inside AnMed Health is published quarterly for AnMed Health staff, friends and the community.

CONTACT

Marketing Department 864.512.3703 MISSION To passionately blend the art of caring with the science of medicine to optimize the health of our patients, staff and community.

VISION To be recognized and celebrated as the gold standard for healthcare quality and community health improvement.

800 North Fant Street • Anderson, SC 29621 864.512.1000 • www.anmedhealth.org

WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL, we read Charles Dickens’ novel “A Tale of Two

Cities.” It is a great and classic novel, probably best known for the often quoted first line: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times …”

This line came to my mind as I thought about the last week in September. On Monday the week started with the news of a local church bus wreck on Interstate-85 and activation of AnMed Health’s mass casualty plan. To make it even more personal, one of the employees in my office was certain her mother was on the bus. Wednesday, it was the surprise message of a shooting at Townville Elementary School with an unknown number of injured. It both cases, it felt like “it was the worst of times.”

However, in many ways, it was also the best of times. Let me explain.

Although we occasionally drill for mass casualty, we don’t often have to call an actual code for mass casualty. Because the bus accident happened on a Monday morning, we had almost full resources in place to handle the unknown number of patients on the way to the Emergency Department.

Our Hospital Incident Command System (HICS) is a tool we use to respond to emergencies that are different or on a larger scale than our normal operations. Of course, “emergency” is what our Emergency Department does; it is their normal. They provided care for 200 other patients on the day of the van wreck. But 13 trauma patients coming at once, and bringing lots of family and friends and media attention – that was an emergency needing teamwork that was above routine. And that’s what our HICS team provided.

Leaders from a wide variety of departments came together to address clinical and non-clinical needs. It was an incredible demonstration of teamwork throughout the organization as our folks created room and prepared to take care of patients and their families. It was our team at their best. Although some are still dealing with the pain of the crash, the outcome could have been so much worse.

Just as we were feeling as though we handled that crisis as well as we could, Wednesday’s school shooting reminded us just how quickly it can become “the worst of times.”

I am sure many of you, like me, wonder when these shootings will stop.

Of course, the event was tragic for two families and will have a lasting effect on many more, but as we pause to grieve with them, we are somewhat bolstered knowing it could have been far more tragic without so many bold and decisive actions by dedicated servants to our community, starting with school staff whose instinct and training enabled them to protect others.

I am proud that AnMed Health employees played a role in the response. Our LifeFlight helicopter team picked up the most severely injured student and took him to the closest pediatric trauma center. One other student and an injured teacher were brought to AnMed CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

Inside ANMED HEALTH 3

New device changes life for A-fib patient After years of anxiety, James McCullough found a life-changing alternative to anticoagulants By Mike McMillan JAMES MCCULLOUGH WAS TOLD he

should experience improvement in a few months after the WATCHMAN device was implanted in his heart.

Instead, he felt results almost immediately.

For several years of his life, McCullough had bouts of anxiety and stress without any apparent stressor. Visits to his primary care physician were met mostly with antianxiety drugs, which helped, but soon enough he would be back with the same symptoms.

He had open-heart surgery in 2004, and that procedure was successful, but the stress continued.

“It felt like everything was just not working right for me,” McCullough says.

“I just didn’t feel good. I couldn’t process a thought good enough to get it out of my mind.”

It wasn’t until he met with Dr. Rick Henderson at AnMed Health Arrhythmia Specialists that things started to change.

McCullough was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, a condition affecting more than 5 million Americans.

According to Dr. Henderson, the condition is not just a physical threat; it also is a heavy emotional burden to bear.

“Some of the A-fib patients feel like a walking time bomb, and they really are, especially if they aren’t on an anticoagulant or if they’re having trouble with an anticoagulant,” Dr. Henderson said. “The knowledge that they could have a stroke at any time is extremely stressful.”

According to studies, patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation are five times more likely to die of a stroke.

McCullough was placed on two different anticoagulants, warfarin and Eliquis, the latter being of considerable expense to the patient because of high co-payments.

Real life change, however, happened when Dr. Henderson implanted the 4 Inside ANMED HEALTH

WATCHMAN device in his heart. The device, which recently received FDA approval, is implanted in the left atrial appendage. It closes off that part of the heart to prevent potentially deadly blood clots from forming there.

Dr. Satish K. Surabhi of AnMed Health Carolina Cardiology has joined Dr. Henderson as the first – and for a time, only – physicians in the Upstate to offer the procedure.

The device is implanted in a one-time procedure that takes about an hour. Once implanted, it has the potential to cut the risk of stroke significantly in non-valvular atrial fibrillation patients.

Once implanted, the device opens like a tiny umbrella and closes off the appendage. The device has a 95 percent success Most patients are in the hospital only 24 hours. McCullough was out of the hospital within a day, went out to eat that night and was back at work the following Monday. The only problem he had was

mild soreness from the area where the device was implanted.

Almost immediately, he felt relief from the symptoms and has since been taken off Warfarin and Eliquis. He no longer has extended bouts of anxiety and says he lives almost an entirely different life now.

According to WATCHMAN manufacturer Boston Scientific, 92 percent of patients are off Warfarin within 45 days after the implant procedure.

McCullough appreciated the level of care and professionalism he received from Dr. Henderson.

“He was hands-on,” McCullough said.

“He’s excellent – absolutely excellent.”

AnMed Health was the first hospital in the Upstate to offer the procedure.

Thanks to the Watchman device, McCullough doesn’t worry about an elevated risk of a stroke from a blood clot forming in the left atrial appendage.

“It’s been a life-changing experience for me,” McCullough said.

The WATCHMAN Implant doesn’t require openheart surgery and is typically performed under general anesthesia. Like in a stent procedure, the doctor will make a small cut in your upper leg, insert a flexible tube into a vein, and guide WATCHMAN into your heart.

Dr. Rick Henderson of AnMed Health Arrhythmia Specialists (864.224.4530) and Dr. Satish K. Surabhi of AnMed Health Carolina Cardiology (864.224.2465) were among the first U.S. physicians to offer the WATCHMAN implant.

To hear it in his own words, see a short video of James McCullough at www.anmedhealth.org/watchman

Inside ANMED HEALTH 5

After national search, patient found solution close to home SpaceOAR protects other organs during radiation treatments By Caroline Anneaux MICHAEL COFFIN IS A GOLFER, bicyclist,

water skier, five-mile-a-day walker and experienced traveler. What this very active, healthy, retired CEO, COO and CIO never anticipated adding to the list was “prostate cancer patient.”

But in March 2014, when Coffin’s blood work showed elevated PSA (prostatespecific antigen) levels during a routine physical, his first thought was to learn.

“The smartest thing I did was to educate myself,” Coffin said. “Instead of taking immediate action and making rash decisions, I took the time to learn all that I could about prostate cancer.”

It was a journey of discovery that would lead him to AnMed Health and something called SpaceOAR. Because Coffin’s PSA levels were very low, he chose to take an active surveillance approach instead of accepting prompt medical treatment to fight the cancer. Dr. Clifton Straughn, his family physician, periodically monitored his blood work while Coffin did his own research on the disease.

Coffin contacted physicians, surgeons and universities all over the country to find out what his treatment options were. He also had serious talks with his male friends and relatives to see what treatments they had chosen and asked important questions about side effects as well.

“Ultimately, I chose urologist and surgeon Dr. Dennis Whatley and radiation oncologist Dr. Vic Tomlinson at AnMed Health,” said Coffin. “These guys were highly recommended and practicing practically in my own back yard. Most important was the fact that they were incredibly knowledgeable, and they worked as a team. I am a team player myself, and it was very important to me that the three of us were on the same page.”

Almost a year later, in March 2015, his blood work showed a huge spike in PSA levels. It was time for treatment, and Coffin was prepared.

6 Inside ANMED HEALTH

“After the PSA level increased to 9.1, I underwent a saturation biopsy,” said Coffin. “While the volume of cancer appeared to be the same, the aggressiveness of the cells meant it was necessary to start fighting it. It was time to get the team together and tackle this monster.”

The team decided to implant radioactive seeds to treat for the first four to six weeks and then follow that with 25 days of external beam radiation, because that offered the highest 10-year survival rate.

“Being a numbers guy myself, that was comforting,” Coffin said. “For cancer like mine, that combination reflected about an 88-90% cure rate which was 8-10% better than surgical removal or just external beam radiation.”

What Coffin also discovered while doing his research, was that AnMed Health was one of the only hospitals in the country using SpaceOAR (organ at risk), a new “game-changing” hydrogel technology to protect prostate cancer patients from unwanted side effects in the rectal area during radiation treatment.

“I was very surprised that the SpaceOAR procedure was not used all over the country,” said Coffin. “Besides the excellent teamwork the AnMed Health professionals provided, I was also fortunate enough to benefit from an amazing new technology to protect a healthy organ in my body during my radiation treatment.”

Until recently, the treatment of prostate cancer with external beam radiotherapy and prostate seed implantation included a small risk of potential collateral damage.

The rectum is very close to the prostate and is therefore very close to the firing line during radiation treatments. Hydrogel creates a space of about a centimeter between the prostate and the rectum.

“That does not sound like much, but a little space goes a long way in reducing potential side effects,” said Dr. Tomlinson.

“The space created by hydrogel pushes the

rectum out of the direct sun and into the shade.”

A urologist places the hydrogel with a special double syringe that pumps two liquids simultaneously into the area between the two organs. When these two liquids mix, they form a gel in less than 10 seconds. This hydrogel pushes the rectum away from the prostate and acts as a barrier during treatments. The procedure takes less than 30 minutes, and patients report no discomfort with the hydrogel.

After about 90 days, which is ample treatment time, the hydrogel begins to break down and the body is completely rid of it in about six months.

“Our urologists and radiation oncologists keep the best interest of the patient at heart so we can provide individualized treatment,” said Dr. Dennis Whatley, of AnMed Health Urology.

“SpaceOAR, which prevents so much damage, can be a benefit for all of our patients battling prostate cancer.”

Coffin has had two PSA checks since concluding his radiation treatment in December 2015, and his number has remained steady at .02. After a year of stable PSA levels, he will be monitored every six months in hopes that he will never see numbers in the 9.1 range again.

In the meantime, he continues to enjoy an active lifestyle, and is very thankful for the AnMed Health team and their dedication to bringing a higher standard of care to all patients in this region of the country.

“The smartest thing I did was to educate myself...�

Michael Coffin sinks a putt at The Club at Brookstone in Anderson. Finding cutting-edge medicine close to home means more time for his other interests.

Inside ANMED HEALTH 7

Clinically integrated networks help improve health care

By Amanda Kowal and Ross Norton HEALTH CARE IN AMERICA is complex.

The overall system is fragmented and confusing, there is too little coordination and support, and many underlying health problems simply cannot be addressed with a traditional doctor-patient interaction.

A big idea has emerged to help improve the system. In the Anderson area, its name is Piedmont Health Partners.

The aim is to control the increasing costs of health care while improving the health of the overall community and making the whole experience better for patients and the workers who care for them.

Piedmont Clayton Jeffords Health Partners is the local name of a clinically integrated network, or CIN. The term is one everyone should get to know in the coming months and years, says Clayton C. Jeffords, CEO of Piedmont Health Partners, because CINs are not just a trend, but an emerging way of coordinating health care.

Piedmont Health Partners will accomplish its goal by coordinating the disparate efforts of everyone in health care so that they can work together

The aim is to control the increasing costs of health care while improving the health of the overall community and making the whole experience better for patients and the workers who care for them.

8 Inside ANMED HEALTH

toward a healthier community.

For example, a CIN may continue to expand its network of health care providers. It may contract with local employers and insurance providers, as well as with Medicare and Medicaid, to offer health care services through its network. In addition, a CIN can help its members by providing people, processes and technological resources that extend beyond their offices to help their patients.

One of these key resources is called “health partners.”

According to Jeffords, health partners are typically nurses, social workers and other health care providers. CINs employ them to help patients with health care needs that fall beyond each particular provider and to remove barriers to health care for each patient.

“Health partners help bridge the gap between what patients need and what is unavailable in a traditional health care setting,” Jeffords said. “They are the ‘secret sauce’ to making a CIN work.”

Health partners help patients navigate the health care system, find a primary care physician or specialist and find transportation or resources for other health needs. They can also make sure that primary care physicians are notified if their patient goes to the hospital or help coordinate care a patient needs beyond the physician’s office or the hospital.

This includes addressing socio-economic barriers and social determinants to address patient needs.

In 2017, health care payment players, such as insurance companies, Medicare and Medicaid, are changing the way they pay providers of care and will base health care reimbursement on value providers impart to their patients, outcomes of their patients and how patients grade their experience. For hospitals, payers will use a payment matrix based on factors such as length of stay, readmission rates, patient outcomes, patient satisfaction and many other factors.

But patients often have needs that go

far beyond the scope of what any one health care provider can offer. A CIN can help make sure patients have access to everything they need so their health is taken care of, decreasing the chance a patient will suffer adverse effects.

In 2016, AnMed Health and its employed physicians partnered with

• Employers • Insurance Company

Hospital A its Employe

Health partners help patients navigate the health care system, find a primary care physician or specialist and find transportation or resources for other health needs.

private practice physicians to form Piedmont Health Partners, a CIN designed to serve Anderson and its surrounding area. Soon, Piedmont Health Partners will have partnerships with many other providers, such as hospice, home care and mental health providers.

“The next few years will truly solidify

Piedmont Health Partners’ role in the local health care market place,” said Jeffords. “The benefits to its members, as well as to patient care, should become more apparent as time goes on. These success stories will explain what a CIN does better than any other explanation as we see people’s lives truly changed.”

CINs like Piedmont Health Partners will work by creating a formal link among various health care providers.

A Ancillary Providers: • Home Health • Medical Equipment

Independent Physicians

Clinically Integrated Network (CIN)

Patients

and ed Physicians

• • • • •

Governance Clinical Programs Health Partners Contracting Infrastructure

Post Acute Facilities: • Rehabiliation Hospitals • Nursing Homes e es

Hospital B and its Employed Physicians Inside ANMED HEALTH 9

M.D. MINUTE

A conversation with Dr. Jay Nayak Dr. Jay Nayak is an experienced physician certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in three areas: internal medicine, oncology and hematology. After five years at Covenant Cancer Care Center in Saginaw, Michigan, and the Genesys Hurley Cancer Institute in Flint, Michigan, the Levine Cancer Institute recruited Dr. Nayak to care for patients at the AnMed Health Cancer Center. AnMed Health is one of 12 charter members of the LCI network – an emerging leader in cancer care whose approach centers on connecting local patients and physicians with expertise and resources in their own communities.

Q. What inspired you to become a doctor?

A. My father being a physician, I grew up around lots of doctors. I was always amazed by the respect and love given to physicians by their patients. As a young man I could not see any other occupation where people trusted you completely with their lives and well-being.

Q. What made you choose oncology and hematology?

A. While pursuing my master’s in molecular biology in New York, I came across many biotechnology and genetics concepts which were in development for cancer treatment. At the time in 2002 we did not have as many geneticallyengineered targeted treatments available like we have now. It was very fascinating to me and I could see the vast possibilities for making cancer treatment personalized, more effective and less toxic. It is just the beginning of the personalized cancer care era and I can already say that it was the right decision for me to be an oncologist.

Q. Why did you choose to live and work in the Upstate?

A. I was excited to learn about the Levine Cancer Institute’s plans to enhance and expand the care available at AnMed Health. My family first visited South Carolina in 2015 when we went to Myrtle Beach for spring break. I just fell in love with the weather. It is a pleasant change coming from Michigan.

Moreover, I have friends in Anderson and family in Atlanta which makes Anderson a very suitable location for us.

Q. What is the most valuable thing you have learned so far from practicing medicine?

A. There is always hope. Unfortunately we still lose lots of patients with advanced cancer. But that is changing 10 Inside ANMED HEALTH

slowly but steadily over last few decades with advances in cancer care. Cancers that were fatal and terminal a decade ago are now treated, just as we can treat hypertension and diabetes. Chronic myelogenous leukemia is a good example of that. Cancers like melanoma that had very few treatments and carried a prognosis of six months or less are now being treated effectively with immunotherapy and targeted treatments.

Q. What is the biggest misunderstanding patients have about cancer treatment before they get started?

A. Many patients are very anxious and think that they may be terminal. For the most part when cancer is found in early stages, patients have the best chance of getting cured and remaining cancer free. Patients also have lot of anxiety about chemotherapy and base their fears on an experience of a friend/family member who may have different cancer and a different chemotherapy. The current chemotherapy and supportive care measures are much improved over previous years and most patients tolerate it well.

Q. Is there a single piece of medical advice that you find yourself giving over and over?

A. From an oncology standpoint, I usually advise that prevention is better than curing. They should comply with age appropriate cancer screening. Early detection is key to best outcomes with minimal intervention in the case of cancers. I also advise living a healthy lifestyle.

Q. What’s the best thing a patient can do to stay healthy?

A. Exercise, eat a balanced diet, stop tobacco use and limit alcohol use.

Q. What does it mean to your patients that AnMed Health has partnered with the Levine Cancer Institute?

A. It brings the cutting edge cancer care right to our door step and, when needed, an easy and faster access to resources at LCI for second opinions, treatment recommendations and clinical trials.

Q. When you’re not practicing medicine, what are we most likely to find you doing?

A. Playing with my kids.

THE 411 ON DR. JAY NAYAK Specialty: Oncology and hematology Practice: AnMed Health Oncology and Hematology Specialists Location: AnMed Health Cancer Center 2000 East Greenville Street, Anderson, SC 29621 Phone: 864.512.4580

NEWS BRIEFS

Kayrouz takes over role of chief medical officer

Medical Center celebrates opening of new hybrid OR Nick Davis (foreground), chief perfusionist, and David Abramovitz, assistant vice president for Perioperative Services and chief CRNA, shows the hybrid OR to nurses celebrating the 50th anniversary of their graduation from Anderson Memorial Hospital’s nursing school. The yearlong construction project at the corner of AnMed Health Medical Center went into service in August. The three story structure includes a much-improved access point for Admitting with a generous canopy area for dropping off patients and families. The second floor includes shell space for future growth, but the heart of the project is the large hybrid operating room on the third floor. The hybrid OR puts AnMed Health on the cutting edge of healthcare design and capabilities with extremely detailed imaging technology in the same room where surgeries are performed.

Epic brings a new era of electronic records to AnMed Health The largest non-construction expense in AnMed Health’s history will go live on March 4, 2017, for ambulatory services and June 3, 2017, for inpatient services when electronic health records are linked through a system called Epic.

An Epic team, including 67 AnMed Health employees and dozens of contractors and Epic employees, has been working from buildings on the North Campus since November 2015.

Temporary buildings were moved recently onto a North Street parking lot near the Medical Center. Staff will train there on how to use the system.

Epic handles electronic records for nearly 200 million patients in the United States and abroad. The system allows all of a patient’s doctors to see what other doctors have done, including specialists or emergency and urgent care physicians.

Epic’s integrated system encompasses not only clinical information, but also registration, patient scheduling and billing. Epic offers a combination of features that enable electronic health records to be shared among providers within and outside the AnMed Health system.

Dr. Thomas M. Kayrouz returned to AnMed Health after a one-year absence to serve as the new executive vice president/chief medical officer (EVP/CMO).

Kayrouz worked for AnMed Health as vice president of medical affairs from 2013 to 2015, before leaving to oversee medical affairs at Virginia’s Sentara Healthcare.

When EVP/CMO Dr. Mike Tillirson announced his intention to retire in July after 23 years at AnMed Health, with 12 of them as CMO, the hospital’s executive team asked Kayrouz to consider returning.

“We are very excited to have Tom back with us as part of the executive team,” said AnMed Health Dr. Thomas M. Kayrouz CEO Bill Manson. “I think Tom’s recent experience with the physician network of a very large health system makes him well prepared for our journey into value based care and working with our physician leadership to transform our healthcare system.”

Cancer program accredited with commendation Pickens County hospital has new name and brand Cannon Memorial Hospital on Nov. 1 took another step forward in its integration agreement with AnMed Health by changing its name to AnMed Health Cannon.

The name change reflects the operational integration of Cannon and AnMed Health, and reinforces a shared commitment to providing seamless, highquality healthcare services to residents of Pickens and surrounding communities.

AnMed Health and Cannon have a relationship that dates back to 2009, but an agreement in 2014 further integrated the systems. Since then, leaders in nursing, business services, human resources and other functions have implemented changes that have aligned the two organizations’ standards of care and business practices.

The Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons has granted Three-Year Accreditation with Commendation to AnMed Health’s cancer program. To earn voluntary accreditation, a program must meet or exceed 34 quality care standards, be evaluated every three years, and maintain levels of excellence in the delivery of comprehensive patient-centered care.

As a CoC-accredited cancer center, AnMed Health takes a multidisciplinary approach to treating cancer as a complex group of diseases that requires consultation among surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists, diagnostic radiologists, pathologists, and other cancer specialists.

The AnMed Health Cancer Center is a charter member of the Levine Cancer Institute at Carolinas HealthCare System. LCI members seek to provide local patients with access to internationallyrenowned physician expertise and worldclass cancer care close to home.

Inside ANMED HEALTH 11

Staff shines CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

Seventeen patients evacuated from Beaufort Memorial Hospital were transferred in a caravan of ambulances to AnMed Health on a Friday morning in October, arriving around 9 a.m. Nine members of the Beaufort Memorial Hospital staff came with them.The coastal hospital closed its emergency room and began evacuating 70 patients when state officials warned that they may lose power as a result of Hurricane Matthew storm damage.

AnMed Health Physician Network continues to grow The AnMed Health Physician Network has added two practices and a number of physicians in recent months.

The physicians of AnMed Health Cornerstone Family Medicine are new to the network but had been in practice together for years at the intersection of Greenville Street and Boulevard.

• Dr. David L. Kyle is medical director of the practice. He has a medical degree from the University of South Carolina School of Medicine.

• Dr. David McCann joined the practice after serving in the military. He earned his medical degree from Oral Roberts University.

• Dr. Rick Keizer, once an aerospace engineer, earned his medical degree from the University of South Alabama.

AnMed Health Cosmetic and Plastic Surgery joined the network and opened a surgery center at its Linwa Boulevard location.

• Dr. Terrence W. Bruner of AnMed Health Cosmetic and Plastic Surgery previously worked as a partner surgeon at Bearwood Plastic Surgery in Anderson. He is a graduate of Wake Forest University School of Medicine and the Wake Forest University School of Business.

Other additions to the AnMed Health Physician Network include: • Dr. Jay Nayak joined AnMed Health Oncology and Hematology Specialists. He earned his medical degree at the Pramukswami Medical College in Anand, India, and a master’s degree in biology from St. John’s University in Jamaica, New York.

• Dr. Jeffrey DeLo also joined AnMed Health Oncology and Hematology Specialists.

He and Dr. Nayak were recruited to AnMed Health by the Levine Cancer Institute.

He earned his medical degree from the West Virginia University School of Medicine.

• Dr. Sherilyn B. Diomampo joined Dr. Monda Idrees at AnMed Health Rheumatology. She is a graduate of the University of the Philippines College of Medicine in Manila.

• Dr. Maureen “Moe” A. Burbage joined AnMed Health Psychiatry after working at Greenville Mental Health Center. She has a medical degree from the University of South Carolina School of Medicine.

• Dr. Jill Spencer joined the medical staff at AnMed Health Lakeside Family Medicine. A physician in the Anderson community for more than 10 years, she has a degree from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.

• Dr. Matthew Bradshaw joined AnMed Health Pediatric Associates after earning his degree from the Medical University of South Carolina.

• Dr. Robert Lee Allman joined the physicians at AnMed Health Pendleton Family Medicine. He is a graduate of Clemson University and the American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine in Saint Martin and completed his residency at AnMed Health.

• Dr. Sandhya Pattem is practicing urgent care medicine at AnMed Health CareConnect in Anderson. She earned her medical degree from Ghandi Hospital in Hyderabad, India.

12 Inside ANMED HEALTH

provided medical care, our marketing team took media calls from across the country. Yes, it was the worst of times, but AnMed Health employees did what they are trained to do: took care of patients when they needed it most.

Then within days, our HICS team and staff were at it again, this time preparing to take on patients and staff being evacuated from a coastal hospital during Hurricane Matthew.

I’m proud of how we handled these situations as an organization.

Our employees should be very proud to be part of an organization that “passionately blends the art of caring with the science of medicine. …” I don’t want to take away from the injuries or the tragedy and trauma of these two situations, and our thoughts and prayers are collectively with those directly affected and their families – some of them are part of our staff, after all – but while it has been “the worst of times,” it has given AnMed Health employees a chance to be the “best” at what they do.

Bill Manson

AnMed Health employees (l to r) Billy Walker, environmental technician; Kim Hill, Chest Pain Center coordinator; and Kathy Deloplaine, assistant vice president of Cardiovascular Services, were instrumental in the installation of five emergency stations placed in strategic locations along the AnMed Health North Campus walking path. Each “tower” is equipped with an emergency call button, a portable automated external defibrillator (AED) device and a flashing blue light to guide emergency responders when activated.

Visions

F O U N D AT I O N N E W S

Teen foregoes presents to benefit the AnMed Health Foundation TAYLOR ODOM is a 16-year-old girl

with a sweet nature and a big heart, and her generosity recently raised $567 for the AnMed Health Foundation. More important than the amount donated is the way the money was raised.

When Taylor turned 16 last June, she decided she didn’t need any presents. She wanted to donate to the AnMed Health Foundation instead. Specifically, she wanted to help AnMed Health Pediatric Therapy Works because she knows how important physical and occupational therapy can be.

Taylor was born with Kabuki Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that can impact physical and mental abilities.

She has received speech, physical and occupational therapy for most of her life.

For the last seven years, she has traveled to Pediatric Therapy Works from her home in Abbeville. Her brother, Deakon, who has autism, also has received therapy there since he was 2.

About three years ago, the Odom family was having difficulties with their insurance coverage, said Dorothy Odom, Taylor’s mom.

BeLinda Bacher, program manager of Pediatric Therapy Works, and her staff worked with the family when their insurance reimbursement was at risk.

They found a solution through the AnMed Health Foundation.

Dorothy said Taylor’s birthday plans were a way to give back.

The birthday invitation requested no gifts, Dorothy said, but it invited anyone who wanted to make a donation to the AnMed Health Foundation. The

When Taylor turned 16 last June, she decided she didn’t need any presents.

She wanted to donate to the AnMed Health Foundation instead.

Taylor Odum, with mom Dorothy, decided to pay some of it back for her 16th birthday when she asked friends and family for money to donate through the AnMed Health Foundation to Pediatric Therapy Works.

donations came in different ways, some directly to Taylor and some directly to the foundation. Even when people said Taylor could do what she wanted with the money, “I donated it all,” she said.

Taylor considered several places for the donation, such as the Greenwood Miracle League where she has played baseball since she was 8 years old, or the Ronald McDonald House where her family stayed while she had heart surgery when she was 8 weeks old.

“I decided here,” Taylor said of giving to Pediatric Therapy Works. They wanted to “pay it forward” for the help they received when they needed it.

“They’re wonderful here. We see them more than we see some of our family,” Dorothy said. “Taylor wanted to give back because she knows how important therapy can be and what a good group of people they have over here.”

Currently Taylor takes physical therapy with Camille Baliker and occupational therapy with Beth Woollens. They gear therapy toward age-appropriate skills that will help Taylor throughout her life,

such as personal hygiene and computer keyboarding.

“The Odoms are an amazing family who hold a special place in the hearts of all of us at PTW,” Bacher said. “We have watched Taylor grow into a warm, thoughtful young lady. At an age when most kids can’t wait to make a list of what they want for their birthday, it warmed my heart when Taylor asked if she could encourage her friends to donate to PTW instead of bringing her gifts.”

The clinic is using her donation to replace old and worn out equipment.

Despite the challenges Taylor has faced in life, her mom says she tries hard in therapy and at school. Taylor is in 11th grade at Dixie High School in Due West, where she attends a mix of regular and special education classes.

“Taylor’s always had a giving spirit.

She’s never one to want for a whole lot,” her mom said. “I give her credit for that.

She has the things she likes, her music and she loves CDs, but she’s never been someone to want, want, want. I’ve been very lucky on that end.”

Inside ANMED HEALTH 13

F O U N D AT I O N N E W S

Pennies for Preemies donates $5,000 for AnMed Health Foundation

Grace Cromer passes along a donation from Mike Durham of Piedmont Natural Gas to Tim Self (l), executive director of the AnMed Health Foundation.

Grace Cromer and her non-profit organization Pennies 4 Preemies donated $5,000 to the AnMed Health Foundation.

Cromer, who raises funds through several events each year, received a $5,000 donation from Piedmont Natural Gas. She then donated that money to the AnMed Health Foundation.

Cromer, the only girl of triplets, was born 3 months premature.

During her time as a preemie baby, she spent many months in the NICU at the Greenville Hospital System and several years working with physical and occupational therapists through the Children’s Miracle Network and AnMed Health.

Now as a healthy, active teenager, she creates awareness and support for other families who have a premature baby and children with special needs through her campaign of “Pennies 4 Preemies.” She raises funds for medical equipment and other items that insurance does not cover and helps local hospitals that support these kids.

Learn more about her effort at www.pennies4preemies.com.

Mobile health coming to Anderson and surrounding communities THE ANMED HEALTH FOUNDATION has

ordered a vehicle, which will be about the size of a large charter bus, to give the Radiology Department for their plans eventually to put mammography screenings on the road for underserved women in the Upstate. The bus is expected to be delivered in the spring of 2017.

The unit was purchased with funds raised by the AnMed Health Foundation’s “Health Care Everywhere” campaign.

The campaign began in 2013 with the goal of raising $1.2 million to cover the cost of purchasing, equipping and operating the screening unit, as well as providing low-or no-cost mammography screenings for women who otherwise would not have access to services.

“For many reasons, such as transportation issues or lack of insurance, some women just don’t get screened for breast cancer,” said Judy Wilson, director of radiology at AnMed Health. “We hope many more of them will be screened if it is offered at their neighborhood, church or business through our mobile diagnostic unit. Our mission is to save lives by bringing mobile mammography to the patient.”

The goal is to achieve approximately 2,000 new breast cancer screenings each 14 Inside ANMED HEALTH

year, to save or prolong an estimated 100 lives due to early detection and treatment of breast cancer, to educate more than 10,000 women on how to perform breast self-examinations between screenings, and to provide underserved patients access to cancer specialists in all of AnMed Health’s affiliate hospitals and clinics.

“We are very excited about the opportunity to take our mobile unit out to the communities,” said Wilson, who will manage the mobile mammography program. “We plan to run the unit four to five days per week with about 20 screenings per day. We will go to businesses, community centers, senior centers and other locations to reach the underserved in Anderson, Abbeville, Pickens and Oconee counties.”

In addition to its central purpose of providing breast cancer screening and education, the mobile diagnostic unit also will serve as an entry point for health care, providing opportunities to connect women to primary care.

“Mobile mammography will enhance our ability to serve others, which is a cornerstone of AnMed Health’s mission,” said Tim Self, executive director of the AnMed Health Foundation. “The foundation will continue to raise funds to cover the $160 per mammogram cost so that anyone can receive breast cancer screenings, regardless of their ability to pay or lack of insurance.”

In 2015, the AnMed Health Cancer Center saw 202 breast cancer patients, with 196 being women and six being men.

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, according to the American Cancer Society.

Because of contributions to the AnMed Health Foundation, hopelessness is replaced with promise.

Thanks to all our donors and supporters for improving the life and health of your community.

Kids Classic has another successful year The annual Kids Classic golf tournament raised $88,950 to support several AnMed Health programs that focus on children.

The event was held at Currahee Club golf course in Toccoa, Georgia. The event gives golfers a chance for networking, camaraderie and to raise money for some good causes supported by the AnMed Health Foundation, including Safe Kids, Doclink and Reach Out and Read.

Representatives of Glenn Constructors & Mechanical present a check for $125,000 to the AnMed Health Foundation to support AnMed Health Pediatric Therapy Works.

New title sponsor named for AnMed Health Foundation’s annual Camellia Ball Glenn Constructors commits to help children of Pediatric Therapy Works The AnMed Health Foundation will honor a $125,000 gift from Glenn Constructors & Mechanical by attaching the company’s name to the foundation’s largest annual event for the next five years. The 23rd annual Glenn Constructors Camellia Ball Benefitting AnMed Health Pediatric Therapy Works will take place on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2017, at The Bleckley Station.

“Glenn Constructors is delighted to partner with the AnMed Health Foundation as the title sponsor for the Camellia Ball,” said owner John Glenn Jr. “We believe AnMed Health’s Pediatric Therapy Works serves a great need in the community, and we want to support them in helping hundreds of children and families have a better future.”

Proceeds from the event support the young patients at AnMed Health Pediatric Therapy Works (PTW), which provides physical, speech and occupational therapy services to children with development disorders or physical impairments. The family-centered team approach focuses on a child’s individual goals and empowers each family to help their child reach his or her fullest potential.

“Demand for the services provided by Pediatric Therapy Works continues to grow and funds raised through the Camellia Ball are vital to ensure these therapies are available to all children who need them, regardless of their resources,” said Tim Self, executive director for the AnMed Health Foundation.

“Thanks to the generosity of the sponsors, volunteers and attendees of the Camellia Ball, the Foundation has raised more than $1 million over the last 22 years for PTW.” Additional sponsorship opportunities are available and information can be obtained by contacting the AnMed Health Foundation at 864.512.3477.

Individual tickets are available for purchase via anmedhealthfoundation.org.

Donation funds hospitality cart Gary Seymore, president of Eco Waste Services, donated funds to the AnMed Health Foundation to purchase a hospitality cart for the AnMed Health Infusion Center.

Seymore’s gift also will provide the snacks and drinks for patients receiving infusion treatments. Seymore gave proceeds from his “pink” dumpster sales during the month of October to supply the cart in memory of his mother, Iva Nell Seymore. Gary Seymore (center), and the hospitality cart he donated, is pictured with volunteer Karen Huffman (l) and nursing assistant Sharon Allen.

About The AnMed Health Foundation: Established as a 501(c)(3) organization in 1992, The AnMed Health Foundation develops fundraising opportunities in support of healthcare programs and services at AnMed Health. Areas of support are Camp Asthmania, Cancer Care Assistance Fund, Robert B. Claytor Patient Assistance Fund, Peggy G. Deane Nursing Professional Development Fund, Doclink, Employee Financial Assistance Fund, Freedom Link, Mobile Diagnostic Unit, Pediatric Therapy Works and Safe Kids.

Inside ANMED HEALTH 15

Nonprofit Organization U.S. Postage Paid Greenville, SC Permit No. 374

800 North Fant Street • Anderson, SC 29621 www.anmedhealth.org

AnMed Health Clemson providing care at new facilities on Tiger Boulevard ANMED HEALTH’S LARGEST non-hospital

site in Clemson brings more room for urgent care and other services to Tiger Town. The new building started operating in December and the old building was closed temporarily for a complete renovation.

AnMed Health Clemson offers a variety of medical services, specialties and family care at a single complex at 885 Tiger Boulevard. After spending most of 2016 under construction, the complex now includes two buildings, allowing more room for patient care, the most up to date equipment and more room for parking.

The new 22,000 square foot structure serves as home to CareConnect-AnMed Health Urgent Care and AnMed Health Clemson Family Medicine, as well as lab services and diagnostics, including CT scanner. The existing, newly renovated building that previously housed urgent care services, is the new home of AnMed Health Carolina Cardiology, AnMed Health Carolina Kids and AnMed Health Specialty Care, which includes specialists in arrhythmia, vascular surgery, OB/GYN and gynecologic oncology.

The Tiger Boulevard site pulls all of AnMed Health’s Clemson services to a single location at the health system’s largest non-hospital site.

With extended hours, walk-in appointments and onsite lab and X-ray, CareConnect offers convenience while also serving as a gateway to AnMed Health’s full range of physicians. If 16 Inside ANMED HEALTH

AnMed Health Clemson’s new building was completed late in 2016 as home for urgent care, family medicine, lab and diagnostics, including CT.

you already are a patient of an AnMed Health physician, the results of your CareConnect visit will be available automatically and electronically to your regular doctor. If you do not have a regular doctor, CareConnect can connect you to one of 50 physician practices in the AnMed Health network.

Conditions appropriate for treatment at CareConnect include sprains, strains, broken bones, colds, flu and respiratory illness.

AnMed Health broke ground on the new building in October 2015.

“The demand for quality health care has grown in Clemson and so have

our practices,” said Garrick Chidester, president and CEO of the AnMed Health Physician Network and AnMed Health executive vice president for network operations. “We’re excited to enhance our services in the Clemson community with a bigger, better office and new equipment.”

AnMed Health Clemson is located at 885 Tiger Boulevard/U.S. Highway 123.

For more information, visit anmedhealth.org/clemson