Communicare - Fall 2018

Communicare Northeast Georgia Health System

FALL 2018

Improving the health of our community in all we do

In This Special Issue: Fighting the Opioid Epidemic Learn what you can do to protect yourself and your loved ones, what NGHS is doing to help and how a grandfather’s loss inspired an entire state.

contents From Our President

A Grandfather’s Crusade

Passing State-Wide Opioid Legislation

Living Evidence Recovery is Possible

Signs and Symptoms

3-4

743 Spring Street NE Gainesville, GA 30501 770-219-9000 nghs.com

5-6

OUR MISSION

7-9

“Improving the health of our community in all we do”

2

10

One Mother’s Loss

11-12

What Can You Do Today?

13-14

A Time for Change

15

Partnership for Drug Free Hall

16

NGHS Gives

17-22

OUR THANKS TO BOARD CHAIRS Rich White

Hospital Authority of Hall County & City of Gainesville

RK Whitehead

Northeast Georgia Health System

27th Annual Marketplace

23

Love Light Tree Lighting Ceremony

24

Northeast Georgia Medical Center

Auxiliary Celebrates Our Volunteers

25

LeTrell Simpson

Community Benefit Report

27-31

John Nix

The Medical Center Foundation

Meg Nivens

The Medical Center Auxiliary

ON THE COVER:

Bill Sanders

Former Northeast Georgia Health System board member Dallas Gay, who lost his grandson to an overdose, inspired the Health System’s fight against the opioid epidemic.

Northeast Georgia Health System (NGHS) is a non-profit on a mission of improving the health of our community in all we do. Our team cares for more than 1 million people across the region through three hospitals and a variety of outpatient locations. Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) has three hospital campuses – NGMC Gainesville, NGMC Braselton and NGMC Barrow – with a total of 713 beds and more than 800 medical staff members representing more than 50 specialties.

Learn more at www.nghs.com.

Northeast Georgia Health System Advisory Board

If you would like a free subscription, please call 770-219-3840 or visit nghs.com/communicare

This organization does not discriminate against any patient because of race, creed, color, national origin, age, sex, disability, religion or because a patient is covered by a program such as Medicare or Medicaid.

Communicare is a health education magazine published by the Public Relations department for the community to support the organization’s mission of: “Improving the health of our community in all we do.”

EDITORIAL STAFF: Sean Couch, director Beth Downs, manager

from our president More than 1,400 Georgians died of overdoses in 2016, including 982 from opioids, according to the Georgia Prevention Project’s Substance Abuse Research Alliance. Here at Northeast Georgia Health System (NGHS), the number of opioid overdose patients arriving in our hospitals’ Emergency Departments more than doubled from 2015 to 2016.

Without question, opioid abuse has evolved into one of the biggest public health challenges in our local community, state and nation. That’s why this special issue of Communicare is dedicated to educating our community about this deadly epidemic. As you’ll read in the following pages, opioid addiction does not discriminate by age, gender, ethnicity, education or economic status.

It can strike any family at any time.

I hope you’ll take time to read the inspiring story of former NGHS Board of Directors member Dallas Gay (pages 3-4). After losing his grandson to an opioid overdose in 2012, Dallas became one of the state’s most tireless, influential advocates in this battle against opioid abuse. He inspired our Health System and many in Hall County to dedicate significant time, talent and resources to fight the epidemic. I’ve known Dallas for years, and I’m very familiar with his crusade – but reading his story again reminded me of his passion for life and helping others.

You can also read about all the wonderful things that are happening in our community as a result of our combined efforts with other agencies, such as Partnership for Drug Free Hall (page 16).

And, on page 10, you can learn to detect warning signs that may save a loved one.

As we take pride in our success fighting opioid abuse at the legislative levels (pages 5-6), I am excited to share with our readers a couple of ground-breaking new programs inside our hospitals that help people addicted to drugs or alcohol start their journey to recovery.

Thanks to a partnership with Georgia Council on Substance Abuse, Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) now provides a team of peer support specialists in all three of our Emergency Departments (EDs) and our nationally-recognized neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at NGMC Gainesville. The peer support program in the NICU is the first of its kind in the nation, and the program in our EDs was the first of its kind in the state. We are proud to lead the way!

Finally, I encourage you to read the emotional story of a long-time Gainesville resident, Tane Shannon (pages 11-12). In May 2017, Tane lost her son, Mick, to an opioid addiction that began when Mick started taking prescription painkillers following multiple surgical procedures. This story is a powerful reminder of the need for education, awareness and vigilance when using these medicines.

I encourage you to take the time to read through this special issue of Communicare, and I hope you will join us in this effort to educate our community about opioids and ways to prevent addiction. Together, we can take action and spread the knowledge needed to save lives.

Carol H. Burrell President & CEO Northeast Georgia Health System

Gregg Carson, designer Michelle Oleson, specialist & editor

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A GRANDFATHER’S CRUSADE

IGNITES NGHS’ FIGHT AGAINST OPIATE ABUSE

Throughout Georgia, many people credit the efforts of a concerned Hall County grandfather with inspiring the state’s fight against opioid abuse in 2010. Today, nearly six years after losing his grandson, Jeffrey, to opioid abuse, former Northeast Georgia Health System (NGHS) board member and Gainesville business owner Dallas Gay is a well-known and effective advocate for change in the way that prescription painkillers are administered.

But, like so many advocates, Dallas’ calling was preceded by a family tragedy.

In 2009, long before opioid abuse garnered the kind of front page headlines it does today, Jeffrey Dallas Gay, Jr., started misusing prescription painkillers.

“Looking back, we believe that Jeffrey got those first opioids when he had his wisdom teeth taken out,” Dallas recalled. “He had a genetic disposition on both sides of our family for addiction and substance abuse, so he instantly liked the drugs and started seeking out more.”

Dallas had little knowledge about the power of addiction at the time, but he remembered to check his own medicine cabinet for unused narcotics that were prescribed to him after surgery.

“By the time I checked my medicine cabinet, those pills were gone,” Dallas said. “I was an unintentional supplier for my own grandson.”

Feeling like he needed to do something about the growing health problem, Dallas began educating himself about opioid addiction and decided to urge his fellow NGHS board members to revisit the Health System’s guidelines for prescribing painkillers in the Emergency Departments (EDs).

In the spring of 2012, Dallas scored his first victory when Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) established new guidelines for prescribing prescription pain medications in its EDs. The new guidelines reduced the amount of painkillers a patient could receive in the ED while ensuring patients receive the best and most compassionate care possible.

A few months later, on Oct. 19, 2012 – just one month shy of his 22nd birthday – Jeffrey died from an opioid drug overdose. For Dallas, the desire to continue his advocacy efforts died with Jeffrey.

“It was devastating,” Dallas recalled, fighting back tears.

“I couldn’t do it anymore.”

But five months later, at the urging of a friend working in the addiction field, Dallas reluctantly resumed his fight against opioids and addressed members of the Georgia Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention Collaborative. There, he presented four steps that every person should follow when taking prescription drugs, including properly disposing of unused medication – a step Dallas wished he knew was needed when Jeffrey was alive.

NGMC PAIN MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES IN THE ED The approach to chronic pain management must be individualized for each patient. If we notice you frequently visit the ED for pain related issues, we will mobilize resources (your primary care physician, case management and others) to develop a care plan.

WE CAN: • Offer short-term, non-narcotic pain relief • Provide a list of alternative treatment options like physical therapy, acupuncture and reputable pain management facilities • Facilitate treatment of addiction with information about local resources and treatment centers • Involve your local physician in the care management discussion about your immediate needs

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WE CANNOT: • Prescribe any long acting narcotic such as Oxycontin, Fentanyl, Methadone, etc. for chronic conditions • Deliver injections (shots) to relieve an exacerbation (worsening) of chronic pain or anxiety • Refill any lost or stolen prescriptions for narcotics or other controlled substances • Provide a missed dose of Methadone

“After Jeffrey’s death, I gave speeches to public and city groups, church groups and anyone who would listen. Many times, words just wouldn’t come out,” he says. “I still get choked up today.”

Soft-spoken and humble, 77-year-old Dallas continues to wage a tenacious battle against opioid abuse and is still working with NGHS to save lives in the community.

“I have nothing in my background, education-wise or experience-wise, to qualify me for being involved in this drug issue,” he says. “I’ve been learning on the job from the very start.”

In 2015, Dallas and The Medical Center Foundation at NGHS teamed up to raise money through The Medical Center Foundation’s annual golf tournament, The Medical Center Open, for an organization Dallas created called Project DAN (Death Avoided by Naloxone). The tournament raised a record $282,000. With those funds, NGHS: • Trained 95 law enforcement agencies in 52 counties in the use of Naloxone, a generic drug that can quickly reverse the effects of overdose from opioids or heroin • Supplied almost 5,000 Naloxone kits to law enforcement and emergency medical technicians (EMTs) “On the night Jeffrey died, the police didn’t have these kits,” Dallas says. “Now, the sheriffs’ offices, police departments and EMTs are well equipped.”

Dallas Gay (left)

“By the time I checked my medicine cabinet, those pills were gone.”

“I was an unintentional supplier for my own grandson.”

While Naloxone, also known as Narcan, was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 1971, it had only been available in Georgia to those with a physician prescription until NGHS executive director of Governmental Affairs Deb Bailey, Dallas and local legislators Sen. Butch Miller (R-Gainesville), Sen. Renee Unterman (R-Buford) and Rep. Lee Hawkins (R-Gainesville) joined forces to pass the Jeffrey Dallas Gay, Jr. Act in 2017. The legislation allows pharmacists to dispense Naloxone/Narcan on an over-thecounter basis (pages 5-6).

While the bill, signed by Gov. Nathan Deal on May 4, 2017, ensures Jeffrey’s memory will endure, the payoff is much larger.

“I’ve had people tell me they’ve bought a Naloxone kit and used it to save their child’s life,” Dallas says. “That is a big step.”

As Dallas looks on to his next battle in the fight against opiate abuse, he makes it clear his work is not about him.

“I’m not doing this to create a legacy,” he said. “If someone benefits from my efforts, that’s all the satisfaction I need.”

Visit nghs.com/opioids to watch a video about Dallas’ crusade.

HOW CAN YOU HELP PREVENT PRESCRIPTION DRUG ABUSE? Take medicines only as prescribed by your doctor.

• Don’t share your medicines with anyone else, and don’t take anyone else’s medicines.

• Keep your medicines locked and in a safe place so that others don’t have access to them.

• Properly dispose of medicines when your medical condition is resolved.

Prescription drugs can be placed in drop boxes at designated law enforcement offices in your community.

•

DID YOU KNOW? Within 18 months, Naloxone kits provided

by The Medical Center Foundation and Project DAN helped save the lives of 27 people in Hall County and 82 others in surrounding counties.

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LOCAL TEAM

LEADS THE WAY

IN PASSING

STATE-WIDE

OPIOID LEGISLATION i

In 2010, when Northeast Georgia Health System (NGHS) board member Dallas Gay (pages 3-4) began talking to his NGHS colleagues about opioid abuse, many people nationwide weren’t even aware of the epidemic.

Eight years later, thanks to many in Northeast Georgia, NGHS and Hall County have become the state’s epicenter for sweeping changes aimed at curbing prescription drug abuse. Soon after NGHS’ 2012 implementation of new pain management guidelines in its Emergency Departments (page 3), Dallas partnered with NGHS representatives, state legislators and others in the Gainesville area to help score a series of significant legislative victories in Georgia’s capital that have helped save lives across the state.

GEORGIA LAWMAKERS RESPOND

At the State Capitol, where passing legislation can be a slow and arduous process, NGHS executive director of Governmental Affairs Deb Bailey will never forget the day in December 2016 when a committee recommendation took effect within 24 hours.

The Opioid Abuse Senate Study Commitee, formed from Senate Resolution 1165, began meeting at NGHS. At its final meeting at the Capitol, the committee decided to recommend Naloxone, the drug that reverses the effects of opioid or heroin overdose, be made available to Georgians over-the-counter. Sen. Butch Miller (R-Gainesville), Dallas and Gainesville-based committee members Drs. Rafael Pasqual and Allen Butts met with Gov. Nathan Deal’s chief of staff, Chris Riley, to share the committee’s recommendation.

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“As soon as the meeting ended, the Governor made one phone call to Dr. Brenda Fitzgerald, commissioner for the Department of Public Health at the time. In 24 hours, we had an executive order from the Governor to allow Naloxone to be purchased over-the-counter,” Deb recalled. “While that effect was immediate, we needed to make it law to be permanent.”

Months later, during the 2017 legislative session, Deb worked with Sen. Miller to sponsor the legislation in the Georgia Senate. After passing in the Senate, she worked with Rep. Lee Hawkins (R-Gainesville) to carry and pass the legislation through the Georgia House. The bill, known as the “Jeffrey Dallas Gay, Jr. Act,” was signed into law, making Naloxone available over-the-counter.

In April 2018, U.S. Rep. Doug Collins, who represents Hall County and other surrounding counties, learned about the devastating effects of opioids from NGHS and the people of his district. He sponsored the bipartisan Substance Abuse Prevention Act in the U.S. House of Representatives, which authorizes funding for drug courts, increases funding for public awareness campaigns and provides federal funding for efforts to prevent youth substance abuse.

Deb, who started her career as a psychiatric nurse and later headed a hospital’s drug and alcohol unit, insists there is much more to be done in the political arena to curb opioid abuse. She says, for her, this issue has become personal.

“This issue has always been a passion for me,” she explained. “It is truly appropriate for me to finish my career fighting for something that I’ve always been passionate about.”

During the past several years, NGHS and other Hall County representatives have played key roles in the passage of other significant opioid-related legislation including: •

The 911 Medical Amnesty Law that provides amnesty from arrest for both the caller and the victim in the case of a medical emergency. The bill also grants immunity to physicians and other healthcare professionals who prescribe Naloxone.

•

House Bill 249, by Rep. Kevin Turner (R-Dawsonville), which strengthens the state’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program – an electronic database used to monitor the prescribing and dispensing of controlled substances. The bill requires registration with the state for all Georgia physicians who have a license from the Drug Enforcement Agency to dispense drugs. It also requires these physicians, or as many as two of their staff members, to enter prescription information for certain controlled substances into the database within 24 hours.

A WAKE-UP CALL FOR ALL

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1,534 Georgia residents died from drug overdoses in 2017 – a 21 percent increase from 2014.

While many people nationwide – including legislators – weren’t aware of the epidemic five years ago, Deb says they are tuned in today as tragedy continues to strike in their home districts.

“If they haven’t experienced addiction firsthand with a loved one, someone in their close network at home has experienced it,” Deb explained. “And that’s what resonates.”

Sen. Renee Unterman (R-Buford), who chaired the Opioid Abuse Senate Study Committee, recalled a tragic day in her district that heightened her urgency to take action.

“The rude awakening for me was when two boys who lived in my district, in the same subdivision, overdosed and died at the exact same time. They lived four streets apart, were not related and didn’t do drugs together,” says Sen. Unterman.

“The same drug dealer delivered the same drug to both of them around 6:30 a.m., and they both suffered an overdose at the same time.”

Gov. Nathan Deal (center) signs the Jeffrey Dallas Gay, Jr. Act into law on May 4, 2017.

(From left) Dallas Gay, NGHS executive director of Governmental Affairs Deb Bailey, Bobbie Gay, Sen. Renee Unterman, Jeff Gay and Cindy Gay

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NGMC CARES Team (Top, from left): Jacob Martin, Ashley Stevens, Rich Lee (Bottom, from left): Beth Hanson, Avery Nix, Dawn Mullinax

LIVING EVIDENCE RECOVERY IS POSSIBLE

Long-time North Georgia resident Dawn Mullinax fought drug dependency for 15 years — a battle that started with marijuana when she was 18 years old and turned into a methamphetamine (meth) addiction in her early 20s. Each day, she lived with the empty feeling that everyone was judging her and no one could relate to her struggles.

Today, 11 years into recovery, Dawn is a Certified Addiction Recovery Empowerment Specialist (CARES) in Northeast Georgia Medical Center’s (NGMC’s) Emergency Departments (EDs). In this role, she uses nghs.com 07

her own experience with addiction to provide the kind of support she desperately craved years ago to people who arrive in NGMC EDs with problems related to drugs or alcohol.

“To be able to be that person for someone else that I needed during my difficult times makes me proud,” says Dawn. “I am making change instead of just going through the rest of my life saying, ‘This is what people need,” Dawn says. “Instead of just saying it, I’m actually living it.”

Dawn is one of six specialists who are part of NGMC’s ED-CARES Peer Support Program, which aims to help people who come to NGMC EDs with alcohol or drug problems find a path to recovery. The program, developed by the Georgia Council on Substance Abuse (GCSA), made NGMC the first hospital in Georgia to offer peer support to people experiencing overdoses in its EDs. Since the launch last fall, NGMC has expanded the program’s reach to help people in its EDs with any problem related to drugs or alcohol.

Ashley has helped many patients since the program began, but she recalls a young person who was admitted to the ED suffering heavy withdrawal. The story is similar to many others.

“At NGMC, we saw the number of opiate overdose patients in our EDs increase dramatically from 2015 to 2016,” said Deb Bailey, executive director of Governmental Affairs at Northeast Georgia Health System (NGHS). “It was clear the opioid epidemic was affecting our community, and we needed to do something about it.

We are grateful to GCSA and the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities for the funding that enabled us to implement this initiative.”

Dawn says she learned early on that simply beginning the conversation by sharing her own story makes patients feel at ease.

IT’S WHERE CONNECTIONS ARE MADE

CARES working at NGMC are in long-term recovery themselves and receive extensive training conducted by GCSA. They complete 40 hours of in-class training, an exam and 16 hours of continuing education every year.

CARES also undergo a skills assessment to ensure they’re prepared to provide support services.

In the first seven months after the peer support program began, the CARES team met with more than 600 patients in NGMC’s EDs in Gainesville, Braselton and Barrow.

What’s more, 58 percent of those agreed to receive follow-up calls from the CARES, according to Owen Dougherty, deputy director of GCSA. “Our goal is to stay in touch with them and help them get the resources they need when they go back into the community,” says Owen, who has been in recovery for 27 years and manages the CARES team. “Once the patient is discharged from the hospital and agrees to let us follow up, the CARES will contact the patient the day after discharge and follow up in 30, 60 and 90 days.”

CARES team member Ashley Stevens can relate to each one of the patients who arrive in the ED. Ashley began smoking marijuana when she was 16 years old, then progressed to cocaine and methamphetamine. In January 2007, she was arrested and sent to court. She has never used illegal drugs again, saying that event represented a “swift kick in the rear end.” She says the opportunity to serve patients at NGMC is a dream come true.

“I love what I’m doing,” she says. “I get to go to work every day and use the difficult times I endured to help someone else.”

“The patient was scared, and didn’t know what to do,” Ashley recalled. “When we met, this person didn’t have a job and was living in different places and with different people. Now, this person works full time and has abstained from using any substances.”

“You can watch the connection being made. You can tell patients completely trust you and are so thankful someone understands and will help them,” she explained.

“Sometimes it’s quite emotional. They don’t have to pretend to be strong when they just need support.”

HERE’S HOW THE ED-CARES PEER SUPPORT PROGRAM WORKS: •

A person arrives at the ED with a drug- or alcohol-related issue and is medically stabilized.

•

Once the person is medically stabilized, the CARES is called in to help.

•

The CARES checks in with hospital staff, gathers information and meets with the patient and/or family.

•

After a conversation with the patient or family, options are discussed and resources provided based on the needs and desires of the patient.

•

The CARES debriefs hospital staff.

•

The CARES follows up with the patient to ensure connection to local community support and resources, including other individuals in recovery.

Thanks to a generous donation from Gainesville resident Jerry Coker, patients who seek treatment at NGMC EDs for an opioid overdose receive a Naloxone kit to take home. Naloxone is a drug that quickly reduces the effects of overdose from opioids or heroin. nghs.com 08

SUPPORTING THE MOST VULNERABLE While several types of peer support programs for substance abuse exist in other areas of the country, there have been no similar programs in hospital neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) that treat babies born with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) — babies suffering from symptoms of withdrawal from opioids and other drugs they were exposed to in the womb. Until now.

Backed by the success of its ED-CARES program in the EDs, Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) became the first hospital in the nation to offer a peer support program in its NICUs this summer. The program connects mothers who deliver babies with symptoms of NAS at NGMC to Certified Addiction Recovery Empowerment Specialists (CARES). The CARES team members are women in recovery who have also given birth while using drugs or alcohol.

This year, the medical center’s NICUs in Gainesville and Braselton expect to treat approximately 75 to 85 newborns with NAS. “The CARES team in the NICUs provide recovery and treatment options to help mothers begin the journey to recovery,” says Deb Bailey, executive director of Governmental Affairs at Northeast Georgia Health System and the person who orchestrated bringing peer support programs to NGMC. “They will also provide support to both mother and father while the baby is being cared for in the NICU to better prepare the parents for the special needs of the newborn when they get home.”

Funding the peer support program in the NICU was an easy decision for state officials. Earlier this year, Deb took

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF ADDICTION

Georgia Sen. Renee Unterman (R-Buford), and Nita Cagle, wife of Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle, on a tour of NGMC Gainesville’s NICU. There, Sen. Unterman and Nita met a team of nurses at NGMC who, along with a physical therapist at NGMC, had assembled a Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome Task Force which reduced the length of stay for babies born with NAS from 38 days to 22. Sen. Unterman, chair of the state’s Health and Human Services Committee, was so impressed that she put money in the state budget to replicate ED-CARES in the NICU. “What’s remarkable is these nurses took the issue into their own hands and did something about it,” Sen. Unterman says. “The goal is for this program to be the prototype for the rest of the state.”

This program in the NICU is funded by Georgia Council on Substance Abuse through the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities. It is available in the NICU at NGMC Gainesville, and will be offered at NGMC Braselton soon.

For Brittany Smith, nurse manager in NGMC Gainesville’s NICU and past foster parent for a child with NAS, helping mothers find their paths to recovery is life-saving work.

“Our care team in the NICU wants nothing more than to see mothers and babies thrive,” says Brittany. “If this new program makes a difference to just one baby, it’s worth it to us.”

Opiate addiction can be hard to spot in family and friends – it can mimic other illnesses and issues. If you suspect a loved one may be addicted to opiates, please consult with your primary care physician or a licensed mental health or substance abuse professional about the best plan of action.

Here are some common signs, as well as sometimes overlooked signs, of opiate addiction from Laurelwood, NGHS’ substance abuse and mental health treatment facility: Physical Changes in overall appearance – weight loss, lack of personal hygiene, lack of pride in appearance • Loss of appetite, “forgets” to eat • Appears tired all the time and/or states they are tired all the time OR displays hyperactivity (unusual level of energy and motivation) • Digestive issues, such as constipation or diarrhea • Pinpoint pupils •

Behavioral • Sudden difficulty or lack of interest in school or school activities • Increased problems at work • Normally punctual, but increasingly late to work or other events, or does not show up at all • Isolating from family and friends • Asking to borrow money more than usual, can appear desperate for money; will usually say it’s for gas, groceries, help with rent, etc.

• Sudden changes in overall mood and affect, dramatic mood swings • Trouble remembering simple things • Attempts to hide arms or legs (wears long sleeve shirts in summer, refusal to wear shorts, etc.)

• Reappearance of bad habits, such as smoking • Lack of concern for the feelings of others • Will not accept blame, blames actions on others, manipulates others to believe concern is “all in their head”

Other • Change in group of friends • Consistently runs out of medication before the date of refill and/or is anxious about running out of medication • You and/or other family members notice money or valuables are missing from home • Unusually unkempt house or apartment • Arrests, pawning sentimental items, selling needed or necessary items out of their home • Maxing out credit cards and/or numerous overdrafts on bank account • Receives paycheck, but will have little to no money shortly after • Leaving children with others more and more often, often with little to no explanation of where they are going and why • You or other family members notice medication has been moved or is missing from home

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OPIOID OF

HOPING TELLS HER TO HELP SON’S STORY ADDICTION OTHERS Mick Shannon embodied the all-American profile.

Handsome. Athletic. Intelligent. Blessed with a magnetic sense of humor. He had the uncanny ability to bring levity to the most difficult situations.

“And he really didn’t get into trouble,” says his mother, Tane Shannon. “He had such a disciplined personality.”

Raised in an affluent, tight-knit home centered around Christian faith and family, Mick became a football star at Hall County’s Johnson High School, known for his willingness to play despite fatigue and injuries. His future was bright.

“The Worst Fear of His Life” Mick’s college experience at Georgia State University began with a procedure to remove his wisdom teeth and three football-related shoulder surgeries in just 18 months. Following all of the surgeries, doctors prescribed narcotic medications to help manage pain after surgery. It was during his recovery from the second shoulder surgery that Mick began to crave the feeling that the drugs provided.

“He said, ‘I realized that I could take that pill, and, if I was mad, sad or stressed about school — I would feel better,” Tane recalled. “He said, ‘I don’t ever remember feeling high. I just felt better.’”

After the third surgery and even more prescription pain medication, Mick realized that his usage was spiraling out of control.

“He said he was waking up every morning and feeling desperate,” Tane recalled. “He said it was the worst fear of his life.”

As time went on, Mick began using heroin because it is less expensive and more accessible than prescription opioids. For approximately three years,

“He was amazing. He was happy. That joy was coming back. Even though we learned this would be a life-long battle, we really thought that this was behind him. We thought he had the right tools and the right support system to be successful.”

On May 3, 2017, with no signs of distress present, Tane was driving to a Wednesday-night church

service and received the call that every parent fears the most. Mick, who was only 26, was dead.

He had taken heroin that, unknown to him, was laced with fentanyl. Days later, the Shannons received Mick’s college diploma. He graduated with honors.

Mick successfully hid his addiction from his family.

He looked good. His grades were excellent. His personality remained the same, and he would come home nearly every weekend and attend church with his family.

From left), Tane Shannon, mother of Mick Shannon, and Mick Shannon

GAINESVILLE MOM

But, during the first semester of his senior year at Georgia State University, Tane and her husband, Mike, began to sense something was wrong. Mick, who was usually frugal with his money, began asking his parents for more cash. In December 2013, Mick arrived home for Christmas looking abnormally thin and unhealthy.

“We were around family a lot and laughing, and it just seemed that he was just trying too hard to have fun,” Tane remembers. “It wasn’t coming as naturally for him, and he was more irritable than usual. That wasn’t his personality.”

When Mick went back to school for his final semester, Tane, a devout Christian, began fasting and praying for Mick’s struggles to be revealed. About three weeks later, Mick contacted his mother.

“He told me that he needed to come home and confess some things,” Tane said.

The next evening, Tane and Mike welcomed Mick home, and they cried together as Mick revealed his hidden struggle. A massive ice storm made roads impassable, and Mick was forced to detox at home as his parents stayed on 24-hour watch to ensure he could not leave.

Mick attended several different recovery programs, and, after finishing an 18-month extended program in 2016, he returned home as the Mick his family knew before opioids ravaged his life. He enrolled at the University of North Georgia to finish his degree, and Tane described the year that followed as “an amazing family year.”she recalled.

Spreading the Word Mike and Tane Shannon had repeatedly warned their three kids about the dangers of alcohol, and the fact that alcoholism and addiction ran in their family. But, Tane admits that prescription pain medicines were never a concern during Mick’s surgeries.

“As parents, we didn’t think about telling him to be careful. We did monitor his pills. We watched them, we gave them to him, but we never once thought they would lead him into trouble,” she says.

Today, Tane is committed to telling her family’s story to anyone who will listen. Last December, the Shannons were featured in an extensive opioid series in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Then, in January, Tane spoke to a packed community forum in Gainesville hosted by the Partnership for Drug Free Hall. Her message: The nation’s health system, which is trained and incentivized to minimize pain, must change.

“My goal is to have all doctors warn patients of the dangers of prescription pain medication and offer them a choice,” Tane says.

“I want them to ask patients questions such as, ‘Do you have a family history of addiction?’ or ‘Do you want this pill, which is very powerful, or do you want a non-narcotic or ibuprofen?’” she adds.

“In my case, that would have worked.”

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?

WHAT CAN YOU

DO TODAY

YOU CAN HELP FIGHT OPIOID ADDICTION BY INCREASING YOUR KNOWLEDGE ABOUT OPIOIDS AND PREVENTING THEIR INAPPROPRIATE USE. FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF COMMON PRESCRIPTION OPIOIDS THAT ARE PRESCRIBED BY PHYSICIANS FOR USE ONLY BY THE PERSON THEY ARE PRESCRIBED FOR DURING A SPECIFIC LENGTH OF TIME. MEDICATION GENERIC NAME Codeine

BRAND NAMES Various brand names, often combined with acetaminophen and aspirin

STREET OR SLANG NAMES Captain Cody, Cody, Lean, Schoolboy, Sizzurp, Purple Drank If combined with glutethimide: Doors and Fours, Loads, Pancakes and Syrup

Fentanyl

Duragesic, Actiq, Sublimaze

Hydrocodone or dihydrocodeinone (typically combined with acetaminophen)

Vicodin, Lortab, Lorcet and others

Hydromorphone

Dilaudid

D, Dillies, Footballs, Juice, Smack

Meperidine

Demerol

Demmies

Morphine

Kadian, Avinza, MS Contin, Duramorph, Roxanol

Oxycodone

OxyContin, Percodan, Percocet, and others

Oxymorphone

Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse

Opana

Apache, China Girl, China White, Dance Fever, Friend, Goodfella, Jackpot, Murder 8, Tango and Cash, TNT Vike, Watson-387

M, Miss Emma, Monkey, White Stuff O.C., Oxycet, Oxycotton, Oxy, Hillbilly Heroin, Percs Biscuits, Blue Heaven, Blues, Mrs. O, O Bomb, Octagons, Stop Signs

What can you do if you suspect a loved one is abusing prescription opioids or illegal drugs?

DID YOU KNOW? You can properly dispose of unused prescription pain medication by dropping it off at certain law enforcement agency offices. Contact your local police department or sheriff’s office to learn about drop-off locations in your area.

ACCORDING TO JONI POWELL, SUPPORT SERVICES SUPERVISOR AT LAURELWOOD, IT DEPENDS. JONI EMPHASIZES THE APPROACH AN ADULT SHOULD TAKE WITH ANOTHER ADULT IS VERY DIFFERENT THAN THE APPROACH A PARENT SHOULD TAKE WITH A TEENAGER. HERE’S HER EXPERT ADVICE: ADULTS CONFRONTING ADULTS 1 The first step should always be encouraging your loved one to seek professional help. A conversation should sound something like this: “I’ve noticed these things and think you may have an issue. Would you like me to help you make an appointment with a mental health counselor, psychiatrist or psychologist?”

2 If he or she won’t go to a counselor, suggest a primary care doctor. Many adults will refuse to go to a counselor, but will consent to visiting a primary care doctor. Many of these physicians have assessment tools that can direct the patient to appropriate care.

3 Look for signs of addiction. Do you notice money or prescription drugs missing? Is the person neglecting parenting or job-related tasks? A full list of symptoms is on page 10. If you notice them, encourage your loved one to seek professional help.

4 When someone has been abusing drugs or alcohol for a while, studies show intervention can work. However, intervention works best when conducted with the help of a mental health professional. Interventions require pre-planning and other specialized treatment approaches to be successful. Simply gathering family and friends together to confront a loved one without this guidance can often push him or her away – especially if he or she doesn’t recognize there is a problem.

PARENTS CONFRONTING ADOLESCENTS 1 Make them seek professional help. While adults can choose whether to seek treatment, parents who suspect their child is abusing drugs should take them for professional help immediately. There should be no room for negotiation.

2 Monitor your child’s behavior. Has your teenager’s behavior changed dramatically? Are his sleep patterns different? Has her performance in school deteriorated? Is he spending a lot of time with friends he doesn’t want you to see? Don’t attribute the changes in behavior to typical teenage rebellion. Take action and seek help.

3 Keep an eye on grandparents’ prescription drugs.

Powell says grandparents usually have more prescription drugs on-hand than parents, and are less likely to monitor them. If you suspect your teenager has a prescription drug problem, alert grandparents so they can prevent access to their medications.

4 Fight for your child. Teenagers often resent when parents probe into their lives. When it comes to suspected drug abuse, though, parents need to be proactive. You could save your child’s life.

5 Know it can happen to anyone. Many parents don’t believe addiction can happen in their families, or that it only affects people in low-income areas. Not true. Powell says in the Atlanta area, suburban kids who are high achievers are often the ones dying. She says parents need to get out of the mindset that “it can’t happen to me” or “I’ve raised my child better than that.” Addiction affects men and women, young and old, and people of all races and socioeconomic backgrounds. It does not discriminate.

If you suspect a loved one has a problem, call Laurelwood at 770-219-2888 to talk to a representative who can assess the situation and help determine the best plan of action.

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A TIME FOR CHANGE SPRING

APRIL

OCTOBER

SEPTEMBER

MAY

2010

Dallas Gay alerts Northeast Georgia Health System’s Board of Directors about the problem of prescription drug abuse and the need to evaluate the Health System’s policies.

2012

Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) implements new pain management guidelines in its Emergency Departments.

2014

Gov. Nathan Deal signs House Bill 965, known as the Georgia 911 Medical Amnesty Law, which provides amnesty from arrest for both a caller and victim in the case of a medical emergency.

2015

The Medical Center Open golf tournament raises $282,000 to benefit Project DAN (Deaths Avoided by Naloxone), providing funding for training of 95 law enforcement agencies in 52 counties and supplying them with 5,000 Naloxone kits.

2016

Georgia Senate Study Committee hearings begin at NGHS to further address the opioid epidemic in Georgia.

NGHS is the only hospital system to host a hearing.

2017

Gov. Nathan Deal signs three bills to address opioid abuse: • Senate Bill 121, known as the Jeffrey Dallas Gay, Jr., Act, allows pharmacists to dispense Naloxone/ Narcan an over-the-counter.

• House Bill 249 strengthens the state’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program • Senate Bill 88 outlines requirements for narcotic treatment programs.

Partnership for Drug Free Hall hosts its first educational forum in a series called “Not My Family.”

SEPTEMBER

NGMC launches the ED-CARES Peer Support Program at NGMC Gainesville, making it the first hospital in the state to offer peer support in its Emergency Departments. The program is also offered at NGMC Braselton and NGMC Barrow.

NOVEMBER

AUGUST

LOOKING AHEAD

2018

NGMC Gainesville becomes the first hospital in the nation to offer a peer support program to mothers who deliver babies with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) in its neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), with plans to offer it at NGMC Braselton soon.

Thanks to a grant beginning in September 2018 from Georgia’s Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, the Gainesville community is the recipient of a third grant to launch a Recovery Center Organization (RCO) that will help people on the road to recovery be successful in their journeys. The RCO, to be named The Jeffrey Dallas Gay, Jr. Recovery Center, is currently in the planning stages. Watch for more information soon! nghs.com 15

PARTNERSHIP FOR

DRUG FREE HALL JOINING FORCES TO TACKLE DRUG PROBLEMS IN HALL COUNTY “It has been said that the opioid epidemic has no face,” says Deb Bailey, executive director of Governmental Affairs at Northeast Georgia Health System (NGHS). “But, it actually has many. They are the faces of the people who look just like us – our family, friends and fellow community members.”

As the opioid abuse epidemic continues to ravage communities throughout Georgia, a group of Hall County citizens and organizations, including NGHS, are doing something about it. In 2017, they established Partnership for Drug Free Hall, to equip Hall County residents with information, resources and actions to combat addiction.

Since it launched, Drug Free Hall has created an educational website, hosted two well-attended community forums and is helping to erase the stigma that has prevented local families from talking about opioid abuse.

“So many of us have known people who were afraid to talk about addiction – either in their families or pertaining to themselves,” says Judy Brownell, chair for Drug Free Hall and director of Substance Abuse Prevention for Center Point. “As a community, we have to get past that, because the opioid crisis is so scary. With opioids, addiction and even death can be immediate.”

Early last year, Gainesville Police chief Carol Martin called Judy to talk about the need for starting a community coalition aimed at educating residents about the opioid epidemic. Deb invited Sen. Renee Unterman (R-Buford), chair of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, who had experience developing public forums and organizing grass roots efforts in her hometown. Since then, Sen. Unterman and Deb have traveled the state helping other communities develop these efforts.

Using federal funds and additional support from 15 public and private organizations including NGHS, Drug Free Hall was formed with a mission to “change the culture and educate the entire community, and to decrease the stigma surrounding addiction.”

“NGHS has always had the community’s health and best interest at heart, so being a founding member of the Partnership was a natural fit,” says Deb. “We’re trying to change what so many Americans have come to believe: that there is always a pill or quick fix for everything. It’s simply not true. Life is not like that.”

To date, Drug Free Hall has hosted two community forums featuring local experts discussing topics such as the severity of the opioid epidemic, the brain’s response to addiction and the role of intervention in a loved one’s life.

A third forum will be held on September 6, and will focus on signs and symptoms of abuse, early intervention and supporting someone in recovery. According to Judy, the fourth forum which is in the planning stages, will discuss alternative pain management.

“I don’t think people understand the magnitude of addiction unless you are from a family where there’s been an addiction,” Judy says. “We’re doing these forums so people can begin to understand addiction and, therefore, prevent it.”

DID YOU KNOW? For educational resources, videos and information about Partnership for Drug Free Hall, please visit Drug Free Hall’s website at drugfreehall.org. nghs.com 16

NGHS GIVES

$865,000 DONATED BY

MORE THAN

YOUR GENEROSITY AT WORK

3,500+ Employees & Physicians

FOR

962 HEALTH SYSTEM EMPLOYEES WALKED Visit TheMedicalCenterFoundation.org or call 770-219-8099 for more information or to donate.

nghs.com 17

Unmet healthcare needs in the community? Not on our WATCH. Sometimes patients have no family or friends to visit them in the hospital. Sometimes they’re alone in the hospital during the holidays or on their birthdays, or they may not have anywhere to go once they’re discharged. And sometimes, Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) staff are able to pool their resources together to buy a birthday cake, tie balloons to a bed, or offer compassion in some other way – all to make these situations a little bit brighter.

The employees of Northeast Georgia Health System (NGHS) are a powerful force when it comes to impacting sacred moments. Working daily in all corners of the Health System, our employees are here for every patient and family that walks through one of our many doors. But NGHS employees’ generosity also extends into the community. In fact, that generosity raised $746,025 in 2017.

Through the employee giving club of NGHS, WATCH (We Are Targeting Community Health), employees truly make a difference inside and outside our walls. They: • provide continuing education scholarships to one another • ensure our indigent patient population has medications required for successful recovery • fund national research by walking for The March of Dimes, American Cancer Society and the American Heart Association • raise money for counseling, campus upgrades, mobile simulation training and more

The power of group giving and sacrifice is amazing.

“Tithes and gifts produce tangible resources for the greater good but, just as importantly, the discipline of collective giving is one of the things that brings communities to life and life to individuals,” says Rhonda Rogers, Hospice employee and WATCH Committee member. “Both the giver and the gift produce a little bit of magic.”

When thousands of people work together toward the mission

of the community, all t hat our employees acco mplish

every d ay .

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New Trellis volunteers join the mission of improving community health

NGHS GIVES You never know when the need for world-class healthcare will be your own.

In September 2017, 17-year-old Jaileen Brown hesitated before he left for Gainesville High School. He wasn’t feeling well.

He was only in class for a short time before being sent to rest in the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) lounge. Upon entering, he collapsed in cardiac arrest. Thanks to quick action by a friend and teachers, Jaileen survived. But, if one small device had not been available at school, the result would have been dramatically different.

The device Jaileen’s teachers used was an automated external defibrillator, or AED. AEDs are used in cases of cardiac arrest.

Cardiac arrest is more deadly than a heart attack, and when someone suffers cardiac arrest, seconds count. The odds of surviving an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest are bleak, unless there is an AED. In 2010, The Medical Center Foundation funded the purchase of AEDs for schools and public buildings across Northeast Georgia. Jaileen’s fast-acting teachers not only knew where the AED was, but how to use it. Countless lives have been saved because of generous donations to this program and many others.

As new co-chairs of The Medical Center Foundation’s Trellis Society, Josh and Crystal Schlieman embrace this truth, and have engaged a group of community leaders to help spread the word about how donations to The Medical Center Foundation make an impact on our community’s health and access to world-class health care. We would like to thank and welcome all of our new volunteers, who follow generations of others in paving the way to a healthier community.

The Trellis Society has helped fund numerous programs, clinical enhancements and life-saving equipment over the years. We are confident that under the leadership of the Schliemans, this group of volunteers will be successful in their endeavors to improve community health, too.

Membership starts as low as $100 a year, making the Trellis Society an easy way to join other individuals who know that one day, health care will touch us all.

A gift of thanks Leaving a legacy of a healthy community is important to Andy and Janet Walker. They’ve included a provision in their estate plan that includes a signature gift to The Medical Center Foundation. Through life experiences – from caring for a parent who spent time in and out of the hospital to another parent who served many years as the volunteer board chair of their local hospital and its foundation – Andy and Janet recognize the value of high quality healthcare and realize it isn’t available without the help of philanthropy.

Janet and Andy Walker

NGHS GIVES

The Walkers’ support through The Legacy Circle ensures that the important work of the Foundation and its impact on improving the health of the community we serve will continue for generations to come.

If you would like to explore gifts in trust, real estate, or stocks, etc., please contact The Medical Center Foundation and we can help your professional advisor ensure that your wishes are properly followed.

Brian Bailey, Major Gifts Officer 770-219-8099 l TheMedicalCenterFoundation.org

A Lasting Legacy Planned gifts provide an opportunity to support healthcare initiatives for future generations that are meaningful to you and your family.

Learn more and join: TheMedicalCenterFoundation.org/trellis

THANK YOU

RECENTLY, WE HAD THE GREAT HONOR OF RECOGNIZING OUR NGMC BRASELTON DONORS AND CELEBRATING THE SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THE INAUGURAL BRASELTON CAMPAIGN. THESE DONORS SHOULD BE COMMENDED FOR BUILDING A CULTURE OF ONGOING PHILANTHROPIC SUPPORT FOR THEIR COMMUNITY HOSPITAL. HEALTHCARE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES, FOR NOW AND FUTURE GENERATIONS, ARE IMPROVED BECAUSE OF YOUR GENEROSITY. We would especially like to thank Tony Funari for his exceptional leadership, honorary co-chairs Don and Nancy Panoz and our entire Braselton Campaign Cabinet for their vision. Over the past three years, these dedicated community leaders have been working hard to help create a destination of hope,

healing and wellness at NGMC Braselton. Their diligence has paid off, by exceeding their goal and raising more than $4.2 million. What a wonderful accomplishment and way to set the tone for future success!

Trellis Society volunteers help ensure the latest healthcare improvements and services are available in our community.

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NGHS GIVES

Amount Requested

$1,061,000 Bringing vital technology to Good News Clinics THROUGH THE WORK OF VOLUNTEER PHYSICIANS AND DENTAL PROVIDERS, GOOD NEWS CLINICS (GNC) PROVIDES PRIMARY AND SPECIALTY MEDICAL SERVICES, AS WELL AS DENTAL CARE, AT NO COST TO UNINSURED PATIENTS IN HALL COUNTY. PATIENTS SERVED AT GNC HAVE A FAMILY INCOME WITHIN 150% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL. CURRENTLY, 46 PHYSICIANS, 12 MID-LEVEL PROVIDERS AND 44 DENTISTS VOLUNTEER AT GNC, PROVIDING CARE TO THIS VULNERABLE POPULATION. WHY IT MATTERS LIVING NEAR OR BELOW THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL IS CHALLENGING, BUT ADD HEALTH CARE TO THE MANY OTHER PROBLEMS PATIENTS ENCOUNTER DAILY AND LIFE CAN SEEM HOPELESS. WHEN IT COMES TO MANAGING HEALTHCARE, PATIENTS OFTEN CAN’T COMMUNICATE HEALTH INFORMATION CLEARLY, ARE UNAWARE OF ALL THE MEDICATIONS THEY’RE TAKING, OR HAVE MULTIPLE CONDITIONS THAT MAKE IT DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO UNDERSTAND. AND, BECAUSE CARE TODAY IS OFTEN DELIVERED BY SEVERAL PROVIDERS, IN MORE THAN ONE LOCATION AND PRESCRIBING MEDICATIONS THAT CAN INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER – DELIVERING HEALTH CARE IN TODAY’S ENVIRONMENT REQUIRES ACCESS TO THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY. HAVING ALL OF A PATIENT’S HEALTH INFORMATION IN ONE PLACE CAN DRAMATICALLY IMPROVE CARE. In October 2017, NGMC moved to a new system-wide electronic medical record system, called Epic. Epic connects patients and healthcare providers to medical records in a way that allows for easy access and collaboration with fewer barriers and inefficiencies. As part of a longstanding partnership with GNC, The Medical Center Foundation is seeking community support to bring Epic to GNC. Thanks to a lead signature gift from philanthropists Don and Dot Pirkle, fundraising is now

for implementation, support, training, licensing and hardware for Epic Electronic Medical Record at GNC.

NGHS GIVES

Get Involved!

Thursday

well underway to purchase a new electronic health records system for GNC. “We are grateful for the Pirkles’ lead gift and The Medical Center Foundation’s commitment to this important project,” says Allison Borchert, executive director of GNC. “The implementation of Epic will be a game changer for us in terms of improved patient care, outcomes, and practice efficiencies. We will be able to improve the clinic experience for both our patients and our volunteer physicians.”

According to Antonio Rios, MD, chief physician executive for Northeast Georgia Physician’s Group (NGPG) and GNC physician volunteer, the advantage of this electronic health record system is that there is one chart for each patient.

“The chart will follow the patient throughout the continuum of care,” says Dr. Rios. “It doesn’t matter if the patient was in the hospital, in the ED or a clinic – all medical practitioners will be able to see the same exact information.”

Funds to implement Epic at GNC are being raised with the help and support of The James H. Downey Society, a group of practicing and retired physicians dedicated to improving the health of our community through support of initiatives like this one. This group of physicians demonstrates their commitment to local health care excellence by providing funds for the latest technology, delivery of service, education and community outreach that may otherwise not be possible. The Society’s tri-chairs, Drs. Jon Horn, Ron Lewis and Rafael Pascual, have expressed the organization’s excitement and support for the initiative, and the Foundation is confident the Pirkles’ lead gift serves as an example for others.

“Don and Dot are passionate about healthcare excellence and making a difference in the lives of others. Wherever they give of their time and resources, they are deeply dedicated and invested in a way that makes an organization and mission more successful,” says LeTrell Simpson, chairperson of The Medical Center Foundation Board of Trustees. “We are so thankful they are leading the way for others to give. They recognize the tremendous value GNC has on the health of the community.”

October 4, 2018 at Chicopee Golf Course

During the past 27 years, The Medical Center Open has raised more than $3.8 million in support of community health initiatives.

This year’s tournament will support the purchase of a Mobile Simulation Unit.

All proceeds from this year’s golf tournament will help purchase a Mobile Simulation Unit. This mobile training unit will prepare care providers for life-threatening situations and help them perfect the skills necessary to provide outstanding care in emergency situations. The Unit will also be available to rural medical facilities, schools, public safety departments, emergency medical technicians and our Graduate Medical Education (GME) program to prepare them for these situations – truly improving care for Northeast Georgia’s more than one million residents.

1 2

YOU CAN STILL JOIN THE FUN AND HELP IMPROVE CARE ACROSS NORTHEAST GEORGIA!

Be a Sponsor.

Purchase a raffle ticket.

Call 770-219-8099 or visit TheMedicalCenterFoundation.org/golf for more information.

Donate by visiting TheMedicalCenterFoundation.org/Epic

Business Products

Special thanks to the Medical Center Open Committee! We are grateful to our co-chairs Jeff Terry, MD, Karen Baston and the entire golf committee for their commitment to the tournament’s success. You make great things possible Mike Appel, MD Gail Bowen Lawana Bryan Sean Childers Sam Couvillon Shanna Cronic Vince Davis Dorothy “Dot” Pirkle and husband Don Pirkle

James H. Downey Society tri-chairs Drs. Rafael Pascual, Ron Lewis and Jon Horn

Donna Deyton David Dickerson Headen Embry Terry Evans Josh Everett Emmett Forrester Joy Green

Don Grimsley Gene Marlow Megan Martin Ward McCamy Al Morrison Ann Nixon Michele Piucci

Zach Propes Ricky Pugh Kathy Riner Calvin Robinson Matt Smith Tyler Smith Ben Sousa

Andy Stewart Jesse Tipton Philip Wilheit, Jr.

27

25 Years of Festive Holiday Shopping!

th

Please join us for a fun, festive weekend of holiday shopping to benefit Safe Kids Gainesville/Hall County

Presented by

2018 Tree Lighting Celebrations

November 1 – 3, 2018

Save the dates and plan to join us for Love Light Tree Lighting Celebrations at 7:00 p.m.

The Medical Center Auxiliary The Gainesville Civic Center

Preview Party ($50) Thursday, November 1: 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

General Admission ($5) Friday, November 2: 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. l Saturday, November 3: 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

We are grateful for Willis Investment Counsel’s 10th consecutive year of commendable philanthropic support of this annual holiday shopping event. One hundred percent of the proceeds will benefit Safe Kids Gainesville/Hall County.

hairs: Jenny Floyd ,M tri-c e org lac p a t ke

n

Crumley Katie and d oo W

Visit nghs.com/marketplace or call The Medical Center Auxiliary at 770-219-1830 for more information.

d an L o ve L up ight c . An o-chairs: Dr

The Medical Center Auxiliary is very pleased to announce the continued partnership of Marketplace Presenting Sponsor

Ka th yL ahi ry

Please give the gift of Love Light in honor or remembrance of a loved one.

NGMC Gainesville (North Entrance) l Monday, December 3 NGMC Braselton l Thursday, December 6 NGMC Barrow l Monday, December 10

As the 2018 Love Light co-chairs, we encourage you to honor or remember special friends and family members by considering a meaningful gift to Love Light. Love Light is a 39-year tradition of The Medical Center Auxiliary.

Donations begin at $10 for a light, $100 for a star and $500 for an angel. Many community members generously donate multiple gifts as they honor and remember loved ones, and each gift is genuinely appreciated. One hundred percent of tax-deductible donations benefit Hospice of Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) to help ensure that those nearing the end of life may live as fully and comfortably as possible.

Visit nghs.com/lovelight for more information or to donate.

(From le f t )M ar

nghs.com 10

The Medical Center Auxiliary

CELEBRATING

OUR NGHS VOLUNTEERS Northeast Georgia Health System (NGHS) was pleased to honor its volunteers at the Volunteer Appreciation and Awards Luncheon held in May at First Baptist Church in Gainesville. In fiscal year 2017, 772 volunteers contributed 190,692 hours serving at NGMC Gainesville, Braselton and Barrow, as well as within programs such as Hospice, Lifeline and New Horizons long term care facilities. These hours of service represent a value of $1.7 million. Dorothy “Dot” Pirkle, who has volunteered for more than 14 years and contributed more than 2,500 hours of service, received the 2018 Marjorie Covington Smith Auxilian of the Year Award. Don Fancher, who has donated more than 4,700 hours and volunteered for

more than 15 years, received the Nell Whelchel Wiegand Patient Friend Award. Lorena Collins was recognized for 55 years and a record of more than 25,000 hours of service.

“Each of the individuals honored with awards are very deserving of recognition,” says Lynne Allen, director of The Medical Center Auxiliary. “They give their valuable time and service to benefit patients and families, and they are such positive ambassadors for The Medical Center Auxiliary, The Medical Center Foundation and the Health System.”

NGHS Teen Volunteers Brighten Spirits NGHS is grateful for the dedication and compassionate service contributed by an outstanding group of 118 teen volunteers who represented The Medical Center Auxiliary this summer. These teens brought bright smiles and an eagerness to serve at NGMC Gainesville, Braselton and Barrow — while also having the opportunity to explore healthcare careers. The teens donated more than 4,200 hours of service, equivalent to a value of $104,759.

During the Teen Appreciation Dinner held in July at The Venue at Friendship Springs in Flowery Branch, more than 100 teen volunteers were honored for their hours of

(From left) Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) Gainesville president Louis Smith and Nell Whelchel Wiegand Patient Friend Award recipient Don Fancher nghs.com 25

(From left) President, The Medical Center Auxiliary, Meg Nivens; Auxilian of the Year Award recipient Dorothy “Dot” Pirkle and NGMC Gainesville president Louis Smith

volunteer service. Ingrid Islas, a recent honor graduate of Gainesville High School with plans to attend Trinity Washington University, contributed 338 hours since 2016 and was honored as The Andrew J. Dockery Teen Volunteer of the Year. She also received a scholarship from The Medical Center Auxiliary. Sloane Sengson, an honor graduate of Johnson High School in Gainesville, was also recognized with a scholarship from The Medical Center Auxiliary and was recognized for her outstanding contributions to the Teen Volunteer program. Sloane is currently attending the University of Georgia.

(From left) Teen Committee co-chair and member of The Medical Center Auxiliary Executive Board Bethany Magnus and Teen Volunteer of the Year Ingrid Islas.

(From left) Teen Committee co-chair and member of The Medical Center Auxiliary Executive Board Bethany Magnus and scholarship recipient Sloane Sengson

800 50 health 1system

more than

physicians specialties Find your doctor at nghs.com/doctor

NGMC COMMUNITY BENEFIT REPORT “Improving the health of our community in all we do.”

Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) values cooperative efforts with community organizations and other healthcare providers to improve the health status of area residents. NGMC demonstrates this through many partnerships ranging from serving as lead agency of Safe Kids Gainesville/Hall County, to partnering with organizations such as Good News Clinics and the Public Health Department to reach at-risk populations in need of health care.

The following contains highlights of community benefit activities provided by NGMC between Oct. 1, 2016, and Sept. 30, 2017. Visit nghs.com/community-benefit-resources to view the full report.

WHAT DRIVES NGMC’S COMMUNITY HEALTH IMPROVEMENT ACTIVITIES? NGMC, with input from the community, completed a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) in 2016 that included Barrow and surrounding counties before Barrow was acquired

by NGMC. The assessment focused mainly on the needs of the community’s most vulnerable populations, particularly those with low-incomes who are uninsured. Input from the community and the study culminated in the identification of the following five priority health needs across the region: Septicemia (blood infections), Access to Care, Diabetes, Cancer and Injury — all of which were impacted by these activities: COMMUNITY OUTREACH In fiscal year 2017, NGMC provided approximately $6.8 million in community benefit programs and outreach through its Gainesville, Braselton and Barrow campuses. Health education was provided through free community lectures, screenings, various support groups and the semi-annual health magazine, Communicare. NGMC also offered many community education seminars on topics ranging from health and nutrition to women’s health education and more, as well as seminars for health professionals in the community, region and state.

PARTNERING TO REACH THE UNINSURED NGMC works cooperatively with other area healthcare providers to care for area residents, particularly the indigent population. Partners include Northeast Georgia Physicians Group (NGPG) Primary Care Clinic at Hall County Health Department, Northeast Georgia Diagnostic Clinic, The Longstreet Clinic, Medlink (federally qualified health center),

$6.8 M

in community benefit programs and outreach.

nearly

$500 K

donated to help GNC provide care to indigent patients who were at or below poverty lines.

area physicians and indigent clinics such as Good Shepherd Clinic of Dawson County.

• Good News Clinics (GNC): NGMC provides funding to GNC

(the largest free clinic in Georgia) that helps provide medications, medical supplies and other support. In fiscal year 2017, nearly $500,000 was donated to help GNC provide care to indigent patients who were at or below 150% of the federal poverty guidelines and did not qualify for other programs.

• Eva

Johnson, NGMC nurse practitioner and heart failure disease manager, helped establish and now runs the Heart Failure Clinic at GNC. Eva was awarded the Sam Poole Community Volunteer of the Year Award for her tireless work with the clinic. This project has been extremely successful, holding the 30-day hospital readmissions to one patient in 2017.

• NGPG

Primary Care Clinic at the Hall County Health Department: NGMC funds and staffs a primary care clinic at the Hall County Health Department to improve access to primary healthcare services for low-income people in our community. In fiscal year 2017, NGMC contributed $1,070,096 to provide this clinic.

• Indigent

Patient Fund: At NGMC, financial assistance is provided for indigent patients to obtain urgently needed discharge medications and transportation. Individuals eligible for these funds are patients whose needs cannot be met through primary insurance, their own personal funds, government programs or other charitable services. This helps to ensure medication compliance and maximize conditions for recovery and recuperation. The Medical Center Foundation provides funding for this resource.

more than

$1 M

contributed to provide primary care services at the Hall County Health Department.

nghs.com 28

ongoing

clinical trial research programs were reorganized under the oversight of the new NGMC Office of Research.

CHARITY CARE NGMC’s charity care policy removes barriers for low-income populations within our service area beginning with free, medically necessary care for patients whose gross family income is 0 to 150% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) adjusted for family size. Further, patients from our service area whose FPL is from 151 to 300%, may qualify for an adjustment equivalent to the hospital’s Medicare reimbursement rate plus an additional 40% discount to the Medicare reimbursement rate.

FINANCIAL NAVIGATORS AND PATIENT NAVIGATORS NGMC has financial assistance counselors who help patients become insured, be it through Medicaid, PeachCare or other programs. This team focuses on being advocates for uninsured and under-insured patients, aiding them in finding viable means to access care. They find the best solutions for helping patients apply for Medicaid or disability, accessing healthcare exchanges or processing charity applications when appropriate. NGMC also has a cancer patient navigation program. This program provides cancer patients with guidance throughout their cancer journey, and they are seen as a “living resource directory” for patients.

CLINICAL RESEARCH In fiscal year 2017, all ongoing clinical trial research programs at NGHS were reorganized under the oversight of the new NGMC Office of Research. NGMC’s Oncology Research program, through the Georgia NCORP (National Cancer Institute Community Oncology Research Program), received recognition as a high performing research site member.

NGMC’s Cardiology Research program was recognized by major sponsors as a top enrolling site through participation in pharmaceutical and device clinical trials in cardiology with outcomes that have the potential to improve standard of care for patients throughout the U.S. and around the world.

fiscal year 2017

772 NGMC volunteers

at all three campuses contributed 73,789 volunteer hours, equivalent to 44 full time employees and a value of more than $1.7 million.

In 2017, 130 teens participated in the Teen Volunteer Program. The teens represented 28 different schools within the area.

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NGHS is a founding member of

since 1997

partnership for drug free Hall

$3.8 M

to fight the growing opioid epidemic affecting so many counties across the region.

PARTNERING IN THE COMMUNITY Partnership for Drug Free Hall (DFH): As part of the behavioral health issues being addressed in Hall County, much progress has been achieved in fiscal year with regard to the opioid epidemic affecting so many counties across the region and our nation. Hall County’s response to this epidemic is the collaborative Partnership for Drug Free Hall. Modeled after a partnership formed in Gwinnett County led by Sen. Renee Unterman, she, along with Deb Bailey, executive director of Governmental Affairs at NGHS, Dallas Gay, former NGHS board member, and Judy Brownell, director of prevention at Center Point, pulled together a diverse group of agencies in Hall County to form this partnership. Other NGHS representatives from Community Health Improvement and Laurelwood also actively serve on this committee.

For more details about NGHS’ involvement in the fight against the opioid epidemic, visit nghs.com/opioids. For resources, visit drugfreehall.org.

VISION 2030 (www.Vision2030.org) An NGMC employee currently serves on the board of Vision 2030 which focuses on the creation of a culture of community wellness, the support and maintenance of lifelong learning, the building of an economy around emerging life sciences, the encouragement of innovative growth/infrastructure development and the promotion of cultural integration.

This community-wide program is sponsored by the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce and participation is open to everyone in the community.

raised for community health improvement projects through The Medical Center Open.

THE MEDICAL CENTER FOUNDATION (MCF) The MCF is the fundraising arm of NGMC and raises funds to improve the health of the community. The Foundation’s operating expenses are supported by NGMC so that donated funds can be used to support NGMC projects and community health improvement initiatives. Following are items of interest to note: • Since 1997, approximately $3.8 million has been raised for

community health improvement projects through The Medical Center Open.

• The 2016 Medical Center Open Golf Tournament, which was

held in fiscal year 2017, raised $282,454 to fund three homes for deserving families and a neighborhood playground for Habitat for Humanity of Hall County. NGMC senior leadership and employees helped construct the homes through three NGMC Build Days.

• Through

the employee giving club known as WATCH (We Are Targeting Community Healthcare), members have donated more than $8.8 million since 1999. More than 3,500 employees donated about $745,000 in 2017.

SAFE KIDS COALITION The Gainesville-Hall County Safe Kids Coalition, led by NGMC, is part of Safe Kids Worldwide, the first and only national organization dedicated solely to the prevention of unintentional childhood injury, which is the nation’s number one killer of children ages 14 and under. Safe Kids continued the work of injury prevention for families in the Hall County community in 2017 thanks to the support of MCF and The Medical Center Auxiliary, which donated proceeds from its Marketplace event.

GETTING OLDER AND BETTER WORKSHOPS More than 220 people participated in the Getting Older and Better Workshops held in September in Gainesville and Braselton. This event was sponsored by The Medical Center Auxiliary, provided by NGMC and featured the topic “Let’s Talk About Stroke: Signs, Treatment, and Lowering your Risk.”

AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY (ACS), AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION, AND MARCH OF DIMES NGMC employees turned out in full force for community events such as the American Heart Walk, March for Babies and Relay for Life, averaging participation of 300 employees per event.

BLOOD DRIVES In fiscal year 2017, NGMC hosted 22 drives, resulting in 484 donors and over 404 pints of blood.

UNITED WAY NGMC has partnered with United Way to engage employees and leaders in the community. NGHS employees contributed $76,415 to United Way, making NGHS a Pacesetter Company.

Three NGMC employees serve on the United Way Board, and Dr. Sam Johnson, Chief Medical Officer at NGHS, serves as Chairman on One Hall United Against Poverty.

In an effort to improve school readiness and literacy for our community’s children, NGMC has partnered with the United Way of Hall County’s Read Learn Succeed initiative to produce a children’s book given to all babies born at NGMC. Printed in English and Spanish, “Welcome to the World,” provides education about the importance of reading to children every day, for at least 15 minutes, starting at birth. This book was funded by The Medical Center Auxiliary.

In fiscal year 2017, members of the Gainesville-Hall County Safe Kids Coalition provided more than 76 programs and events that reached an estimated 9,643 children and their family members, teachers and caregivers. Through these programs, more than 4,201 safety devices were distributed to families in need of them.

total

charity cost for fiscal year 2017

was $19.9 million for Hall County with another $18.8 million for regional residents outside of Hall County, and $1.2 million for Barrow County with another $308,000 provided to regional residents outside Barrow County.

since 1999

$8.8 M

donated by members of employee giving club WATCH.

nghs.com 30

DISCRIMINATION IS IS AGAINST AGAINST THE THE LAW LAW DISCRIMINATION NORTHEAST GEORGIA STEMI SUMMIT Hosted each year by NGMC, the Northeast Georgia STEMI Summit brings together paramedics, EMS staff and doctors from across the state. They meet to discuss the state of the Northeast Georgia Regional STEMI System – a collaborative effort providing critical care and rapid response in 18 counties across the region to people suffering a severe heart attack known as STEMI (S-T Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction).

Georgia votes to adopt

Senate Bill 102

for the establishment of emergency cardiac centers and the establishment of the Office of Cardiac Care within the Georgia Department of Public Health.

As this year’s summit was in progress, the Georgia House of Representatives voted in favor of adopting Senate Bill 102, which provides for the establishment of emergency cardiac centers and the establishment of the Office of Cardiac Care within the Georgia Department of Public Health. The bill was spearheaded by Jeffrey Marshall, MD (The Heart Center of NGMC) and Deb Bailey, executive director of Governmental Affairs at NGHS. SANE PROGRAM NGMC provides a SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) program which provides nurses special training in rape crisis, trial time with a District Attorney and training with law enforcement and a pediatrician’s office. NGMC employs nurses who have specialized training to complete the Sexual Assault Nurse Exam and provide specialized care for patients who are victims of sexual assault. This program is not a requirement of hospitals and is also not provided at all hospitals throughout the state.

NORTHEAST GEORGIA FOOD BANK SUPPORT NGMC Barrow provided a donation to the Northeast Georgia Food Bank’s Food 2 Kids program in Barrow County. This program was developed to alleviate hunger on nights and weekends when other food is not available for children in need.

TAR WARS NGMC is partnering with Barrow County Schools to implement “Tar Wars,” a tobacco-free education program for fourth and fifth grade students developed by the American Academy of Family Physicians to teach kids about the dangers of tobacco use, the cost associated with using tobacco products, and the advertising techniques used by the tobacco industry to market their products to youth.

SPECIAL NOTES: NGMC uses the precepts outlined in “A Guide for Planning and Reporting Community Benefit,” provided by the Catholic Health Association of The United States and VHA, Inc. The guide’s purpose is to help not-for-profit, mission-driven healthcare organizations develop, enhance and report on their community benefit programs.

For more information, contact Christy Moore, manager, Community Health Improvement, at 770-219-8097 or visit nghs.com.

nghs.com 31

Northeast Georgia Health System, Inc. (NGHS) complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex.

NGHS does not exclude people or treat them differently because of race, color, national origin, age, disability or sex.

NGHS: • Provides free aids and services to people with disabilities to communicate effectively with us, such as: • Qualified sign language interpreters • Written information in other formats (large print, audio, accessible electronic formats, other formats) • Provides free language services to people whose primary language is not English, such as: • Qualified interpreters • Information written in other languages If you need these services, contact: NGHS’ Customer Care Resource Center Telephone Number: 770-219-2998.

If you believe that NGHS has failed to provide these services or discriminated in another way on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex, you can file a grievance with: NGHS Corporate Compliance 743 Spring Street NE Gainesville, GA 30501 Telephone Number: 770-219-5403, (TTY: 1-800-255-0135) (VRS: 1-888-888-1116) Fax: 770-219-2910, or Email: corporate.compliance@nghs.com.

You can file a grievance in person or by mail, fax or email. If you need help filing a grievance, NGHS Corporate Compliance is available to help you.

You can also file a civil rights complaint with the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights electronically through the Office for Civil Rights Complaint Portal, available at https://ocrportal.hhs.gov/ocr/portal/lobby.jsf, or by mail or phone at: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 200 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20201 Phone: 1-800-868-1019 TDD: 1-800-537-7697 Complaint forms are available at http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/office/file/index.html.

ATENCIÓN: si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. Llame al 770-219-1689 (TTY: 1-800-255-0135) (VRS: 1-888-888-1116).

CHÚ Ý: Nếu bạn nói Tiếng Việt, có các dịch vụ hỗ trợ ngôn ngữ miễn phí dành cho bạn. Gọi số 770219-1689 (TTY: 1-800-255-0135) (VRS: 1-888-888-1116). 주의: 한국어를 사용하시는 경우, 언어 지원 서비스를 무료로 이용하실 수 있습니다. 770-2191689 (TTY: 1-800-255-0135) (VRS: 1- 888-888-1116) 번으로 전화해 주십시오.

3 steps to save a life IN 2016, APPROXIMATELY 1,400 PEOPLE DIED OF DRUG OVERDOSES IN GEORGIA. YOU CAN HELP LOWER THE TRAGIC DEATH RATE FROM DRUG OVERDOSE BY LEARNING THE THREE STEPS TO SAVE A LIFE, AND TELLING YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY TO DO THE SAME.

注意：如果您使用繁體中文，您可以免費獲得語言援助服務。請致電770-219-1689 (TTY: 1-800-255-0135) (VRS: 1-888-888-1116).� �

ુ ના: જો તમે ગજ ુ રાતી બોલતા હો, તો નન:શલ્ુ ક ભાષા સહાય સેવાઓ તમારા માટે ઉપલબ્ધ છે . ફોન સચ કરો 770-219-1689 (TTY: 1-800-255-0135) (VRS: 1-888-888-1116).

ATTENTION : Si vous parlez français, des services d'aide linguistique vous sont proposés gratuitement.

Appelez le 770-219-1689 (TTY: 1-800-255-0135) (VRS: 1- 888-888-1116).

1

2

Call 911

Give Naloxone

3 Administer First Aid

ማስታወሻ: የሚናገሩት ቋንቋ ኣማርኛ ከሆነ የትርጉም እርዳታ ድርጅቶች፣ በነጻ ሊያግዝዎት ተዘጋጀተዋል፡ ወደ ሚከተለው ቁጥር ይደውሉ 770-219-1689 (መስማት ለተሳናቸው: 1-800-255-0135) (VRS: 888-888-1116). ध्यान दें: यदद आप ह द िं ी बोलते हैं तो आपके ललए मुफ्त में भाषा सहायता सेवाएं उपलब्ध हैं। 770-219-1689 (TTY: 1-800-255-0135) (VRS: 1-888-888-1116). पर कॉल करें ।

ATANSYON: Si w pale Kreyòl Ayisyen, gen sèvis èd pou lang ki disponib gratis pou ou. Rele 770-2191689 (TTY: 1-800-255-0135) (VRS: 1-888-888-1116). ВНИМАНИЕ: Если вы говорите на русском языке, то вам доступны бесплатные услуги перевода. Звоните 770-219-1689 (телетайп: 1-800-255-0135) (VRS: 1-888-888-1116). ‫ )رقم‬1689-219-770 ‫ اتصل برقم‬.‫ فإن خدمات المساعدة اللغویة تتوافر لك بالمجان‬،‫ إذا كنت تتحدث اذكر اللغة‬:‫ملحوظة‬ .(0135-255-800-1) :‫( والبكم الصم ھ‬VRS: 1116-888-888-1).

-

ATENÇÃO: Se fala português, encontram-se disponíveis serviços linguísticos, grátis. Ligue para हैं। 770-219-1689 (TTY: 1-800-255-0135) (VRS: 1-888-888-1116).

Don’t be afraid to call for help.

Georgia’s Medical Amnesty Law gives amnesty from arrest for both the caller and victim in the case of a medical emergency.

Naloxone can quickly reverse the effects of overdose, and is available over the counter.

Rescue breathing and chest compressions can keep oxygenated blood flowing. Good Samaritan laws protect the good faith efforts of those trying to save a life.

‫بگیرید تماس‬. ‫ تسھیالت زبانی بصورت رایگان برای شما‬،‫ اگر بھ زبان فارسی گفتگو می کنید‬:‫ توجھ‬। 770-219-1689 (TTY: 1-800-2550135) (VRS: 1-888-888-1116). ‫ باشد می ف‬.‫با‬ ACHTUNG: Wenn Sie Deutsch sprechen, stehen Ihnen kostenlos sprachliche Hilfsdienstleistungen zur Verfügung. Rufnummer: । 770-219-1689 (TTY: 1-800-255-0135) (VRS: 1-888-888-1116). 注意事項：日本語を話される場合、無料の言語支援をご利用いただけます。770-219-1689 (TTY:1-800-255-0135) (VRS: 1-888-888-1116）まで、お電話にてご連絡ください。

To watch a short training video, visit

oorescue.com

download the free

3 steps to save a life app:

Northeast Georgia Medical Center 743 Spring Street Gainesville, GA 30501-3899

Non-Profit Orgnization US POSTAGE PAID Gainesville, Ga. Permit 6

URGENT CARE 7 days a week | 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.* accepting patients 6 months & older

ngpg.org /urgent-care

Braselton

Cleveland

Dacula

1515 River Place, Suite 100

2578 Helen Highway

852 Dacula Road

770-848-6195

706-348-4280

770-848-9380

Buford

Dawsonville

Gainesville

4889 Golden Parkway, Suite 100

108 Prominence Court

597 South Enota Drive

770-848-9240

706-344-6940

Dahlonega

706-344-6953 73 Maxwell Lane

8.13 l S l 175K

*Extended Hours:

8 a.m. – Midnight

770-219-7777