Health News

Morgan serving second round as Sylva’s interim manager

BY HOLLY KAYS Onieal’s contract and its eventual hiring of S TAFF WRITER current Town Manager Rob Hites. That was

Sylva Town Manager Paige Dowling is Morgan’s fifth interim gig, and last year he currently out on maternity leave, but finished up another such post in Henderson Sylva will be in experienced hands County’s Laurel Park, where he served as until her return. interim town manager from December

During a meeting on Thursday, July 9, 2018 until May 2019. the town board voted unanimously to The Sylva board voted July 9 to move appoint Mike Morgan as interim town $32,100 from fund balance to cover the cost manager. Morgan, who retired in 2010 after of Morgan’s contract, which provides that 18 years as town manager for Weaverville, has spent the decade since filling a series of interim manager spots in towns across the region and has a particularly strong connection to Sylva.

After his retirement from Weaverville, Morgan worked as an adjunct faculty member at Western Carolina University’s Masters of Public Administration program. One of his students was Sylva native Paige Dowling, who graduated in 2012, the same year that she was Mike Morgan stands outside town hall following his 2016 hired on as Sylva town appointment as interim manager for the Town of Waynesville. manager at the age of 25. File photo Dowling and Morgan didn’t just work together in the classroom — they worked together in he receive $70 per hour given in bi-weekly the real world as well. Dowling’s hire as pay periods. He is to work no more than 24 town manager came following a vacancy hours per week with a maximum of eight during which she served as assistant town hours per day. manager alongside the interim town manMorgan’s contract also states that he can ager. That interim manager just happened be reimbursed for any “necessary and reato be Mike Morgan. sonable” lodging, meals and incidentals

“We really appreciate you coming out of related to his employment. He will also be your retirement to help the Town of Sylva provided with a town vehicle or receive once again,” Mayor Lynda Sossamon said reimbursement for miles traveled to and during the July 9 meeting. from the town and while conducting town

“It is my honor to do so,” Morgan business. The town will reimburse him for replied. “Thank you so much.” use of his personal cell phone as well.

In 2016, Morgan led the town of Dowling’s maternity leave began July 12 Waynesville in the months between the and is expected to total at least two months, town board’s decision to terminate Marcy though no specific date is set for her return.

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HRMC introduces hyperbaric therapy

Haywood Regional Medical Center’s Ambulatory Infusion, Sleep Center, and Wound Healing and Hyperbaric Center recently moved to The Homestead. The move allows for increased comfort for patients in need of these treatments, whether it is multi-day wound treatments, lengthy infusions or a quieter sleep lab.

As a part of the move, HRMC has installed and begun use of two hyperbaric oxygen therapy chambers.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy helps the body’s oxygen-dependent, wound-healing mechanisms function more efficiently. Patients are enclosed in a clear, large chamber, and breathe pure oxygen, allowing 15 to 20 times the normal amount of oxygen to be delivered to the body’s tissues and stimulate healing. A number of patients may benefit from the therapy, including diabetics who have non-healing wounds or bone infections, patients who have radiation cystitis, those with compromised skin grafts and more.

Interim CEO Chris Fensterle shared, “HRMC has already begun treating patients with HBOT. It’s exciting, as we are able to help the folks in the community that have non-healing wounds that don’t respond to standard wound care. It can prevent amputations and extend patients’ lives.”

Visit www.myhaywoodregional.com for more information.

HRMC to honor nurses with DAISY Award

Haywood Regional Medical Center has opened nominations to honor nurses with The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses. The award is part of the DAISY Foundation’s mission to recognize the extraordinary, compassionate nursing care they provide patients and families every day.

The DAISY Foundation is a not-for-profit organization, established in memory of J. Patrick Barnes, by members of his family. Patients, families, colleagues and the local community may nominate nurses. The award recipient is chosen by a committee at HRMC to receive The DAISY Award. Awards are presented throughout the year at celebrations attended by the Honoree’s colleagues, patients, and visitors.

To nominate a local nurse, visit www.daisynomination.org/hrmc. More information about the DAISY Foundation is available at www.daisyfoundation.org.

Harris expands pain services

Harris Regional Hospital and Swain Community Hospital are pleased to provide comprehensive pain services across western North Carolina in Jackson, Macon, and Swain counties.

Harris Pain Center, with locations in Sylva and Franklin, is now open and scheduling appointments. Swain Comprehensive Pain Services has served patients in Bryson City for more than a decade. Services provided at the Harris and Swain pain centers include diagnosis and treatment of a number of chronic conditions, including neck and back pain, headaches and migraines, fibromyalgia, cancer pain, diabetic and joint pain, arthritis, neuropathic pain, sciatica, and complex regional pain syndrome. Treatments include interventional pain procedures such as spinal cord stimulator implantation and management.

The Harris Pain Center is located at 81 Medical Park Loop, Suite 202 in Sylva on the campus of Harris Regional Hospital adjacent to the Harris Regional Cancer Center. The Harris Pain Center – Franklin is located at 55 Holly Springs Drive at the Harris Regional Hospital Medical Park of Franklin. The Swain Pain Center is located at 45 Plateau Street in Bryson City on the campus of Swain Community Hospital.

Visit www.myharrisregional.com or www.myswaincommunity.com for more information.

Library to host Red Cross training

During the month of August, the Marianna Black Library in Bryson City has teamed up with the American Red Cross to offer several Virtual Red Cross trainings on how to be prepared for a variety of emergency situations. These programs are catered to a variety of ages, though anyone can attend any program.

The series of trainings kicks off at 3 p.m. Monday, Aug. 10, with Hands Only CPR. Hands Only CPR is a quick skill learning program intended to teach participants when and how to perform hands-only CPR in the hopes of having more trained bystanders increase the chance of someone surviving a cardiac emergency. To register for the Hands Only CPR train, visit https://bit.ly/2P72Kvu.

At 2 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 12, the class will be Prepare with Pedro —an interactive program that shows students in kindergarten through second grade what they need to do if a flood were to happen in their local area and how to stay safe. To register, visit https://bit.ly/2P9Gst1.

For a full description of all the trainings, use this link: https://bit.ly/2D3mE8s.

Bryson receives Mercy Award

Haywood Regional Medical Center recently announced that Debby Bryson has been recognized as the hospital’s 2020 Mercy Award winner, which recognizes one employee from each of LifePoint Health’s hospitals who profoundly touches the lives of others and best represents the spirit and values on which the company was founded. The award is considered the highest honor an individual LifePoint employee can receive.

Bryson’s role in patient excellence is integral to HRMC’s patient satisfaction and quality care, as she often interacts with patients at their most vulnerable. Bryson touches every corner of the hospital in her work to navigate patient experiences to successful conclusions. In addition, through her work as project coordinator for clinical learning, she helped steer the processes for HRMC’s most recent Chest Pain Center reaccreditation and Cancer Program accreditation.

VA Health nurses earn national awards

Two Western North Carolina VA Health Care System employees were presented Secretary of VA’s Awards for Excellence in Nursing & for Advancement in Nursing Programs during a virtual ceremony at the Charles George VA Medical Center in Asheville.

Chief Nurse Executive Dave Przestrzelski and Licensed Practical Nurse Jim Luetkenhaus won in the Nurse Executive and Licensed Practical Nurse categories respectively. Stephanie Young, Western North Carolina VA Health Care System Director, presented the awards on behalf of Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie and Dr. Richard Stone, Veterans Health Administration Executive in Charge, who participated in the event.

“We’re extraordinarily proud that this is the 200th anniversary of Florence Nightingale and the fact that nurses continue to be the centerpiece in delivery of extraordinary care in this nation,” Stone said. “The innovation, the creativity that you’ve demonstrated in the care of very sick patients continues to amaze me.”

Vaya urges focus on trauma of racism

Vaya Health is encouraging conversations on the impact of racism on mental health and spreading the word about local treatment resources in recognition of Black, Indigenous and People of Color Mental Health Awareness Month.

Initially called Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, the observance was created in 2008 to bring awareness to the unique mental health struggles that underrepresented groups face in the United States. Recent events have turned national attention to longstanding effects of racism, including physical health effects such as higher COVID-19 infection and death rates among people of color.

Racial trauma can occur due to daily discrimination and bigotry, according to Mental Health America (MHA). It also can be carried throughout generations due to historical adversities, violence and oppression. Trauma is a frequent cause of multiple mental health conditions, with depression the most commonly reported condition among people of color, according to MHA.

Based in Asheville, Vaya manages Medicaid and other publicly funded services for mental health needs, substance use disorder and intellectual/developmental disabilities in 22 counties in western North Carolina. To learn more about treatment options, call Vaya at 800.849.6127.

New pediatrician in Haywood County

Haywood Regional Medical Center recently hired Dr. Traci N. Lombard to join its staff and will be offering pediatric services to patients throughout Haywood County and beyond.

Lombard brings 20 years of board-certified pediatric experience to HRMC.

“Dr. Lombard has years of experience in treating children — from nursery rounding to teen physical fitness, and she is an excellent addition to our hospital team,” said Chris Fensterle, interim CEO of HRMC. “Taking care of our county’s youngest residents is so important, and Dr. Lombard’s expertise will be valuable as HRMC strives to meet our region’s evolving healthcare needs and make our community healthier.”

Lombard joins HRMC from Arizona, where she served patients and families in a variety of hospital-based, private and community practices. She graduated from the Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1997 and completed her residency at Phoenix Children’s Hospital/Maricopa Medical Center.

Lombard will be seeing patients at Mountain Pediatrics. Call 828.452.8878.