Spring 2017
Benefits of Pet Therapy Program being piloted at KCH
HEALTH COACH PROGRAM COMING SOON TO KCH
MIDWIFERY CARE EXPANDED BIRTHING SERVICES
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welcome! When we introduce new programs and service lines
4 6 7 2017 BOARD OF TRUSTEES Ian Watson PRESIDENT Patrick McLarnan VICE PRESIDENT Gordan E. Yance SECRETARY Thomas R. Fosnaught TREASURER Jeffrey L. Boucher Charles R. Brenneman Juan De Pascuale Christopher Hetrick, DO Joan Jones Korey M. Kidwell Inge Krajenski Thom McKinley, MD Amy Murnen, MD Marc Odenweller Ann Schnormeier
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Bruce D. White
Bruce D. White, CEO
to the community, it’s always with the goal of meeting and exceeding the ever-changing healthcare needs of this region. A lot of time, energy and thought goes into deciding the kinds of services that will add value to our patients. With that in mind, I have lots of exciting news to share with you about what’s going on now – and in the near future – at Knox Community Hospital.
This fall we will be launching our health coach program in conjunction with the hospital’s Community Care Network (CCN). Through the CCN we identify patients with complex, chronic health needs who are at higher risk for disease complications or hospitalizations. Through partnerships with Mount Vernon Nazarene University and Kenyon College, students pursuing degrees in a health sciences field will become trained health coaches and will be paired with one of our CCN patients. Learn more on page 3. For those of you who are dog lovers, you’ll be excited to read about the pet therapy program we are piloting at the hospital. Pet therapy has been utilized for decades in hospitals, hospice facilities, MRDD centers, nursing homes and schools. Pet visits to these populations have been shown to reduce stress and anxiety. Dr. Reeder and I are certified therapy dog handlers and both of our golden retrievers are certified through Therapy Dogs International. Read about our efforts and the benefits of animal therapy on pages 4 and 5. May is Better Speech and Hearing Month. The early stages of language and hearing disorders are easier to spot when you know the signs. Learn more about communication disorders and the roles our speech and language pathologists and audiologists play in treating them on page 6. At KCH we are devoted to women’s healthcare. Last year Amanda Poorman, a certified nurse midwife, joined our staff to offer expectant moms another choice in the kind of provider they want for their prenatal care, and labor, delivery, recovery and post-partum experience. As a certified nurse practitioner, Amanda also treats gynecology patients for routine preventive care, contraception, pre-conception counseling, and women’s health issues. Meet her on page 7. Happy reading!
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
Bruce Behner CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
Mike Ambrosiani
Bruce D. White, CEO
CHIEF NURSING OFFICER
James Middleton, RN, MSN, MBA CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER
Jeffrey C. Northup, DO
A publication of the Community Relations Department at Knox Community Hospital.
knoxwise | spring 2017
HEALTH
COACH PROGRAM
COMING SOON TO KCH
Beginning in the fall, KCH’s Community Care Network (CCN) will be partnering with both Mount Vernon Nazarene University and Kenyon College to offer students pursuing a degree in a health sciences field the opportunity to become a trained health coach. According to Adonyah Whipple, coordinator of the program, “Students will be paired with a CCN patient who has a chronic condition to provide support and assistance with meeting their health goals.” Students will be expected to commit 2 to 4 hours a week to the program, including a weekly visit to the patient’s home. They will go through an extensive 12-week orientation to learn how to interact with patients and learn about their specific disease processes. Students will follow patients for as long as they continue to serve with the CCN. “Patients enrolled in the CCN are at a higher-risk for discoordination of care,” said Whipple. “All CCN patients have undergone comprehensive health assessments and have a plan of care that address their specific health needs and goals.”
During weekly visits, health coaches will observe the patient’s environment and identify barriers to care and risk factors for disease complications or hospitalization. “Students will not only coach, Adonyah Whipple, they will report back to our BSN, RN, CHPN multidisciplinary team if there are transportation or access to care issues, whether there are potential hazards around the home that could put the patient at risk, and any social or economic issues that could be preventing them from doing things like picking up their prescriptions,” Whipple said. In addition to meeting the requirements of their school’s curriculum, students will benefit from knowing their efforts are directly impacting a person’s quality of life. “Companionship, communication and social connections are a big part of a patient’s support system,” said Whipple. “The health coach program will offer students a mix of didactic and face-to-face patient care experiences in addition to opportunities to improve their interpersonal communication skills and bedside manner.” Students wishing to participate should meet with their academic advisor to learn how to apply. For more information about the CCN, contact Adonyah Whipple at 740.393.9821.
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HOSPITAL CEO TOUTS BENEFITS OF
Pet Therapy Program being piloted at KCH Bruce White, chief executive officer, and Dr. Deborah Reeder have a shared loved of dogs – golden retrievers to be exact. And, both have witnessed the benefits their dogs have brought to patients and staff. Dr. Reeder’s 9-year-old Cassie has been a certified therapy dog since 2009. “She has the personality for a therapy dog,” explained Dr. Reeder. “Her mission in life is to have people pet her.” Statistics show that pet therapy works. It’s used not only in nursing homes, centers for people with developmental disabilities and hospitals, but also on college campuses where dogs have been shown to have a calming effect on stressed out students and in elementary schools where young kids practice honing their reading skills on dogs. White has owned 5 different golden retrievers over the years. His current pair are Eleanor and Rigby,
appropriately named by the avid Beatles fan after the song Eleanor Rigby.
White got the idea for bringing 2-year-old Rigby to work after talking with Phil Samuel, a friend and member of the community, who has experience working with therapy animals. Soon White started taking Eleanor to see his mother in a nursing facility that allowed pet visits. “The residents loved seeing the dog and it got me thinking about doing something similar here at the hospital,” he said. “Golden retrievers have great dispositions, they are pleasers.”
knoxwise | spring 2017
Reeder, an ophthalmologist and eye surgeon, has seen the benefits both in her volunteer work in the community and in her own practice. “Cassie and I volunteer at a center for developmentally disabled and it’s very rewarding to get a big smile out of people who are nonverbal. Cassie’s very intuitive when it comes to knowing who needs her and she’s good at giving them her love,” Dr. Reeder said. “She comes to work with me and hangs out in my office, but if I have patients who are nervous or anxious, Cassie has a special way of making them comfortable.” In order for dogs to become certified therapy animals they must participate in an 8-week training class and pass a test at the end. “Therapy dogs are expected to know how to follow commands like sit, stay, heel, down and come when they’re called,” said Dr. Reeder. “They also have to be able to navigate stairs and can’t be afraid of things like crutches, canes, walkers and wheelchairs.” “The toughest thing for a dog is the ‘leave it’ command,” said White. “Dogs are naturally curious so they want to investigate and sniff out anything that’s on the floor – that could mean something they think is a toy or food. They have to be able to follow this command as part of their training.”
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She has the personality for a therapy dog. Her mission in life is to have people pet her.” – Dr. Deborah Reeder
Becoming certified also means annual veterinary screenings and being up-to-date on vaccines. “There’s a whole list of guidelines,” said Dr. Reeder. “Dogs must be clean and groomed before you bring them in for visits, they can’t go into sterile environments, they must always be leashed, and no one else is allowed to give them treats but their handler.” According to White, dogs have to be willing and able to sit and wait while their handler approaches a room and asks if the patient would be interested in a visit from a therapy dog. “Some people are allergic or just don’t particularly love animals so we’re sensitive to that,” he said. Although Rigby’s only been coming to the hospital for about 4 months, she has helped calm a young patient with autism and soothe a patient waiting to have her arm casted. “While the broken arm was held immobile, her other arm was busy petting Rigby,” he said. White is excited about the pilot program and the possibilities of pet therapy becoming a permanent fixture at KCH. If all goes well he hopes to expand the program to include other certified dog/handler teams in the future. In the meantime, he and Rigby already have an ice breaker ready-to-go. “During training they say the dog should have a trick or story to help break the ice,” said White. “Being a retriever I thought it only appropriate that Rigby know how to retrieve our morning newspaper from the driveway and she does it with enthusiasm every single day.” To learn more about Therapy Dogs International, or how to get your dog certified, visit tdi-dog.org.
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COMMUNICATION Speech Pathology & Audiology Department Celebrates May is Better Speech & Hearing Month Communication is a two-way street – both equally important parts are speech and hearing. When something disrupts either end of the spectrum, it can be devastating. Challenges we focus on treating: • Slowed development of language in a baby/toddler • Difficulty understanding your child’s speech • Ear infections/hearing impairments/deafness • Developmental disabilities • School challenges • Dyslexia • Cognitive changes due to head trauma/ concussion in sports • Hearing decline • Traumatic brain injury
COUNTS! • Parkinson’s • Voice problems • Tinnitus Our professionals offer both in-patient and out-patient services at the Center for Rehab and Wellness Monday-Friday, 8am-6pm. At the Speech Pathology & Audiology Department, we offer: • Comprehensive hearing assessments and hearing aid dispensing, provided by our licensed/certified Audiologist, Karen Minekime serving KCH for over 20 years • Speech-language-swallowing services including assessment and treatment provided by our 6 Masterslevel therapists • The most current treatments for autism spectrum, apraxia, speech/language disorders, memory loss/ dementia, concussion/trauma and swallowing difficulties Office conveniently located in the Center for Rehabilitation and Wellness. For more information or to make an appointment call 740.393.9088.
• Stroke
Medical Records update Knox Community Hospital patients seeking access to their medical records do so either through an online portal, or in person through the Health Information Management (HIM) department, which manages patient medical records. A large portion of the HIM department will be joining a number of other business and finance personnel in a newly renovated office building in downtown Mount Vernon this summer. Patients can continue to obtain copies of their medical records at the current location on the first floor of the hospital. However, the easiest and quickest way for patients to access most of their medical records is through
the KCH online portal. By clicking the large “Patient Portal” button on the center of the homepage at KCH.org, patients can access hospital health records related to Emergency Department visits, Inpatient stays, Ambulatory Surgery and Diagnostic Testing via the RelayHealth Hospital Portal. Patients can also communicate with their provider’s office regarding visits, allergies, medications, labs and future appointments by using the FollowMyHealth Provider Portal. Registration for both portals is easy and only requires an email address. If you are already registered for the patient portals, this is the most effective way to access most of your health information. If you are not yet registered, you can do so by calling 740.393.9051 and providing a valid email address. Certain records, such as actual radiological images, are not currently available on the portal due to their storage size. Patients can still receive copies of their medical records in person with an appointment at the HIM office in the hospital.
knoxwise | spring 2017
Hospital adds midwifery services to continuum of care KCH is pleased to announce the addition of certified nurse midwife Amanda Poorman to our staff. Poorman is a nationally certified advanced practice nurse who sees both obstetrical and gynecological patients for routine health screenings, contraception, preconception counseling, women’s health issues and prenatal care. She joined KCH in September and sees patients Tuesdays through Fridays in the Department of Specialty Care OB/GYN, 1320 Coshocton Rd. “People often have a lot of questions about what a midwife is and what we do,” explained Poorman. “And, the answer varies depending on the type of midwife a person is. I encourage consumers to be savvy and ask a lot of questions especially if they’re considering utilizing a lay or direct entry midwife who may not have a lot of specific training or a nursing background.” As a certified nurse midwife, Poorman can do most everything a women’s health nurse practitioner can do – plus deliver babies. During labor she is there to support expectant moms with positioning, pushing and delivery. She works with parents who want nonmedicated birth experiences as well as those who
desire pain management such as an epidural during labor and delivery. “I’m there to support and facilitate what they want,” she said. “Nurse midwives are about shared decision-making. We focus on education of the patient and family so they know what to expect – keeping in mind the ultimate goal is a healthy mom and baby.”
Amanda Poorman, MSN, CNM
Poorman works with low-risk moms, but should a birth become complicated an obstetrician is always on call. “Knox is committed to the healthcare of women in this community,” she said. “I have the best job in the world. I get to share a time in the life of a family that they’ll never forget and I get to make it better for them. That’s an awesome gift.”
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NON PROFIT U.S. POSTAGE
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AKRON, OH PERMIT NO. 286
1330 Coshocton Rd. Mt. Vernon, Ohio 43050 KCH.org
calendar of events Diabetes Education
Please note— some changes to support group schedules!
Diabetes education at Knox Community Hospital includes many different classes and events.
Breast Cancer Support Group
Diabetes Support Group Tuesday, April 18, 5-7 pm KCH 3rd floor meeting room Living with Diabetes Tuesdays, June 6, 13, 20, 5-8 pm KCH 3rd floor meeting room. To register for any of these classes or for more information please call the Diabetes Education Department at 740.393.9970.
1st Monday each month, 7 pm Knox Medical Pavilion Please call Becky Dangelo, MSN, RN, CNOR, CN-BN, breast health navigator, 740.393.5579.
Young Survivors Breast Cancer Support Group 3rd Monday of the month, 7 pm Knox Medical Pavilion Please call Becky Dangelo, MSN, RN, CNOR, CN-BN, breast health navigator, 740.393.5579.
Cancer Support Group 3rd Thursday of the month, 6:30 pm January-April; August-November Knox Medical Pavilion Please call Bobbi Mickley, RN, patient navigator, 740.504.9355.
Free Monthly Screenings 1st Wednesday of the month, 8-10 am Urgent Care Classroom Screenings are available for blood pressure, glucose and cholesterol. 12-hour fasting is recommended for best results.
Look good…Feel Better Please call 740.393.5579 for information.
Please visit our website at KCH.org for additional details about our programs and services.
Knox Community Hospital welcomes Abigail Elliott, DMP, AACFAS to the medical staff. Dr. Elliott, a board-certified podiatric surgeon joins the Department of Specialty Care—Podiatry. A native of Knox County, she is excited to be home and serve the patients of our community. She is accepting new patients and joins Robert A. Atwell at 809 Coshocton Road, Mount Vernon. For more information or to make an appointment, call 740.397.4262.
Alix Tercius, MD, FACC, RPVI to the medical staff. Dr. Tercius is board-certified in interventional cardiology and joins the Department of Specialty Care— Cardiology. Dr. Tercius feels honored to practice in our community and wants to provide the best care available for each and every patient. He joins Drs. Barry George and G. Rasa in the Knox Medical Pavilion. For more information or to make an appointment, please call 740.397.5400.