Elevate - Fall 2022

FA L L 2 0 2 2 Owensboro Health

1

®

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Gavin Roberts, Chair

Chris Love

Angela Thompson, Vice-Chair

Jason Mills, MD

Vicki Stogsdill, Secretary

Anthony McBride, MD

Candance Castlen Brake

Andrea Moore, MD

Laura Chapman

Phil Riney

Robert Farmer

Dave Roberts

Nick Hetman

Michael Yeiser, MD

®

ADMINISTRATION

A Message from Owensboro Health At Owensboro Health, we want to keep you healthy, and we want to make you proud. An essential aspect of that is focusing on how we can improve your experience as a patient and a community member.

That starts with providing healthcare you can trust. Owensboro Health Regional Hospital recently earned national recognition as a top-performing hospital from U.S. News and World Report, underscoring the quality of care we provide daily. We’ve also brought on new healthcare providers in the Twin Lakes area and welcomed Owensboro’s Women’s Pavilion to the Owensboro Health system — expanding healthcare services and accessibility for women.

Beyond medicine, we’ve implemented new initiatives to improve your visit to our hospitals. This includes hiring a unique position for the Owensboro Health Regional Hospital Emergency Department, whose primary goal is to help children have a less stressful experience.

®

Mark Marsh, President & CEO

Gary Clark, Vice President of

Russ Ranallo, Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer

Ramona Hieneman, JD, Vice

Francis DuFrayne, MD, Executive Vice President, Chief Medical Officer

Analytics

President, Associate General Counsel Ruby Jacildo, Vice President,

Mia Suter, Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer

Accounting/Controller

Ward Begley, JD, LL.M, Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer

Medical Affairs

Philip Smith, Chief Business Development Officer Ed Heath, Chief Executive Officer of Owensboro Health Muhlenberg Community Hospital Ashley Herrington, Chief Executive Officer of Owensboro Health Twin Lakes Medical Center

Michael Kelley, MD, Vice President,

James Tidwell III, MD, Vice President, Population Health Kathleen Myer, Vice President, Patient Care Services, Chief Nursing Officer, Owensboro Health Muhlenberg Community Hospital Joni Sims, Vice President, Patient Care Services, Chief Nursing Officer,

Mack Howell, Chief Operating Officer Owensboro Health Regional Hospital of Owensboro Health Medical Group Cathy Stewart, Vice President, Beth Steele, Chief Operating Officer of Patient Care Services, Chief Nursing Owensboro Health Regional Hospital Officer, Owensboro Health Twin Lakes Tim Belec, Vice President, Chief Information Officer

We’re also focused on elevating experiences for our community. You’ll learn more about that in this issue’s stories on helping create an abilities-inclusive playground and working with a generous couple to make a difference in the lives of individuals with paralysis.

Bill Bryant, MD, Vice President, Chief Quality & Patient Safety Officer

Read all about these initiatives and more in this issue of Elevate Magazine.

ELEVATE CREATIVE TEAM

Medical Center Bart Darrell, Vice-President, Commonwealth West Healthcare Workforce Innovation Center

Editor: Jacqueline Russell Art Direction: Randa Pence

ON THE COVER

Owensboro Health provided a Community Health Investment Grant to the City of Greenville to help construct the county’s first ADA-accessible playground.

Layout and Design: Tanner+West Photography: Charles Mahlinger, Tanner+West Digital: Katie Roberts Department Lead: Brian Hamby, Director of Marketing Somer Wilhite, Manager of Marketing

CONTACT CONNECT WITH US! OwensboroHealth.org/Elevate Discover the latest news at Facebook.com/OwensboroHealth Follow us on Twitter at Twitter.com/OwensboroHealth

2

Owensboro Health FA L L 2 0 2 2

Main Line: 270-417-2000 24-Hour Health Info Line: 855-417-8555 Or visit OwensboroHealth.org Information in Elevate comes from a wide range of medical experts. If you have any concerns or questions about specific content that may affect your health, please contact your healthcare provider. Models may be used in photos and illustrations.

To Help Paralyzed Individuals

In 2018, Dr. Jim Tidwell experienced a spinal cord injury that resulted in quadriplegia. Four years later, he’s working with Owensboro Health Foundation to create an endowed fund to help those in similar situations.

Patients with paralysis can often get pressure wounds or have skin integrity issues from sitting or lying in the same position for long periods. As a plastic and reconstructive surgeon, Dr. Tidwell often treated these complicated wounds. “And now, I have this injury that makes me vulnerable to develop that kind of wound,” Dr. Tidwell said.

Treatment for these wounds can require surgery followed by a hospital stay in a special bed for four to six weeks.

“When you take care of a patient like that, you get to know them really well and the relationship between you becomes more,” Dr. Tidwell said.

That was certainly the case with a patient named Jim Vincent — a paraplegic individual who thrives and lives an active life in spite of his injury.

“He’s so independent,” Dr. Tidwell said. “He really was an inspiration to me as a patient, and now, all of a sudden, he has become a mentor to me in my condition.

So he’s a special guy to me.”

It was Vincent who brought a common problem to Dr. Tidwell’s attention. The special cushions in wheelchairs for paralyzed individuals, which help eliminate pressure points that cause these wounds, can wear out or become damaged long before insurance companies are willing to replace them.

“Most insurance companies will only replace these cushions every four years,” Dr. Tidwell said. The same goes for Medicare.

“A lot of people who are disabled receive Medicare, so if their cushion wears out or becomes damaged in some way, they may not have a means of replacing it if they’re not at that four-year mark. Many of them are on a fixed income, and it can be a real challenge to replace an expensive cushion.”

Learning this prompted Dr. Tidwell and his wife, Jennie, to create a fund in honor of all the patients with pressure-related wounds he treated as a surgeon. And they named the fund, appropriately, The Vincent Fund.

The Vincent Fund will allow disabled individuals to purchase replacement wheelchair cushions when needed and hopefully avoid incurring pressure-related wounds.

“Owensboro Health Foundation has the unique opportunity to help people discover the joy of giving,” Jennifer Keller, foundation board chair, said. “By connecting their passions and interests to areas of need within the healthcare journey of others, they can make a true impact on the very thing they care about so deeply. We are so grateful to be able to build those bridges.”

Dr. Tidwell said the driving force behind this project is, more than anything, to express gratitude to the community for how they cared for him after his accident.

“To be able to do this is just an immense blessing,” he said.

“

He really was an inspiration to me as a patient, and now, all of a sudden, he has become a mentor to me in my condition. So he’s a special guy to me.

“

TIDWELL CREATES THE VINCENT FUND

To learn more about The Vincent Fund, or to become a partner in healthcare with the Owensboro Health Foundation, call 270-688-2113 or email Found@OwensboroHealth.org.

FA L L 2 0 2 2 Owensboro Health

3

HEART ATTACK Ashish Rastogi, MD, Cardiology

OWENSBORO HEALTH REGIONAL HOSPITAL

Earns “High Performing” Status U.S. News & World Report, a global authority in hospital rankings and consumer advice, has named Owensboro Health Regional Hospital a 2022-2023 “High Performing Hospital” (the highest rating available) for the care of heart attacks, strokes, COPD and kidney failure.

These annual ratings help patients and their doctors make informed decisions about where to receive care for challenging health conditions. The ratings show that in these specific areas, patient outcomes at Owensboro Health Regional Hospital are significantly better than the national average.

Read what our physicians say makes Owensboro Health award-worthy.

4

Owensboro Health FA L L 2 0 2 2

“During a heart attack, the most important thing is how quickly we can fix the blocked artery. We take this very seriously and ensure that from the moment our patients arrive at the emergency room and are diagnosed with a major heart attack, a cardiologist sees them in less than 30 minutes, and the blocked artery is fixed within the hour. Our ability to do this quickly and efficiently sets us apart from other hospitals.

I am also constantly impressed by our Emergency Department physicians, who can quickly identify major heart attacks within minutes. Additionally, we make it a priority that our patients continue to receive excellent care throughout their hospital stay and after discharge. We ensure everyone who suffers a heart attack gets enrolled in a cardiac rehabilitation program after leaving our hospital, improving patient survival and quality of life.

Here at Owensboro Health Regional Hospital, we are able to provide the highest level of care for our cardiac patients. We have the systems in place to provide this care quickly, and we also have physicians and staff who are experts in delivering this care using the most modern and state-of-the-art tools and facilities available today.”

STROKE Fawad Bilal, MD, Neurology

“Being a regional referral and Primary Stroke Center, Owensboro Health Regional Hospital prides itself in providing advanced acute stroke care. This includes timely administration of clot-busting medication and identifying blockages of one of the vital arteries supplying blood to the brain using modern diagnostic imaging for timely intervention. This is vital because the time saved is brain saved!

Owensboro Health Regional Hospital provides 24/7 state-of-the-art acute stroke care with advanced imaging, treatments and personnel, including emergency department physicians, neurologists, critical care physicians and nurses who work together for the best patient outcomes. Owensboro Health is blessed to have an advanced rehabilitation unit for stroke patients, all within the same facility.

This recognition speaks of our commitment to providing outstanding regional stroke care.

We work as a team, and every member is equally important in caring for stroke patients.”

COPD Brad Brasher, MD, Pulmonology

Public notice of nondiscrimination and accessibility

“Recognition of COPD typically starts with a patient’s primary care provider. I believe our community has a strong core of providers that do an excellent job of obtaining pulmonary function testing in at-risk people with early signs of COPD. Having underlying COPD can complicate all aspects of a patient’s medical care when in the hospital, and identifying these patients early in their disease course improves outcomes. If someone has an exacerbation, or flare, of their underlying COPD, they may require hospitalization for worsening shortness of breath with increased cough and sputum production. These symptoms worsen the quality of life, impact lung function decline, and increase the risk of subsequent flares and even death.

In our hospital, we have a system in place to recognize and treat these exacerbations with standardized, evidence-based therapies and intervene and try to prevent subsequent hospitalization.

This is what makes Owensboro Health Regional Hospital a high-performing hospital in the area of COPD care. This most essential task is driven by our dedicated COPD coordinator and aided by our nursing staff and respiratory therapists who work together to educate patients about the risk of smoking, give information to assist with smoking cessation, ensure patients are on the appropriate medications, administer and teach proper use of bronchodilators, and help schedule follow up visits in the pulmonary clinic to identify reasons for flares and potentially make medication adjustments.

Smoking is still the leading cause of COPD in the United States, and this region has a very high prevalence of nicotine dependence.

As a result, we see many patients daily in the hospital struggling to breathe. I’m proud to work for an organization that focuses resources on improving outcomes of a disease that carries such a heavy burden on our community.”

English Translation/American Sign Language:

KIDNEY FAILURE Dhiren Haria, MD, Nephrology

Language Solutions: Over-the-Phone, Video Remote, and Onsite Interpreting/Bilingual and Interpreter Staff Testing and Training/Translation and Localization

“Treating kidney disease is a team effort. It’s not just the doctors, but the nurses that play a significant role in our quality of care. They play a major role in making sure that things go well for kidney patients by always being there to read the notes we are writing, questioning us back when needed, and speaking up. All of our double-checks with each other make a big difference in managing our patients’ care.

The kidneys are very complicated organs. Everything that happens in your body affects the kidneys. Our leadership has made sure we have an outstanding team at Owensboro Health Regional Hospital to support kidney disease patients. That makes a big difference.

We cover all aspects of nephrology here. We provide many modalities of services unavailable in many places around us. All of these offerings have allowed us to grow and help more patients.

Taking care of patients with kidney failure is not easy, but there’s a joy that you get when you see the impact our care makes.

The community can feel confident in knowing that if they ever need care for their kidneys, Owensboro Health is ready to treat them with expert care.”

Owensboro Health, Inc. complies with applicable federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability or sex. Owensboro Health, Inc., does not exclude people or treat them differently because of race, color, national origin, age, disability or sex.

Owensboro Health, Inc.: 1. 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, based on an individual’s needs 2. 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 a staff member or supervisor.

If you believe that Owensboro Health, Inc. 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 the Office of Risk Management: Office of Risk Management Owensboro Health 1201 Pleasant Valley Rd. Owensboro, KY 42303

Phone: 270-691-7887 TTY: 270-688-3719 Fax: 270-417-4809 email riskmanagement@owensborohealth.org

You can file a grievance in person or by mail, fax, or email. If you need help filing a grievance, a Patient Relations specialist 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/smartscreen/main.jsf, or by mail or phone at: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 200 Independence Avenue, SW Room 509F, HHH Building Washington, D.C. 20201

Complaint forms are available at http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/office/file/index.html.

Phone: 1-800-368-1019 TDD: 800-537-7697

Point to your language. An interpreter will be called. The interpreter is provided at no cost to you.

Arabic

Mandarin

Bosnian

Nepali

Burmese

Oromo

French

Pennsylvanian Dutch

German

Russian

Hakha-Chin

Somali

Japanese

Spanish

Karen

Swahili

Karenni

Tagalog

Korean

Vietnamese

Learn more about this distinction at OwensboroHealth.org.

FA L L 2 0 2 2 Owensboro Health

5

Changes Make Emergency Department

Kid Friendly

CHILD LIFE SPECIALIST

The goal of a certified child life specialist is to reduce the stress and anxiety children and families experience in a healthcare setting. The specialists are experts in child development and help pediatric patients cope through education, preparation and play.

Laurie Milliner, APRN, Owensboro Health Pediatric Emergency Care Coordinator, saw the impact made by child life specialists in her previous role at a children’s hospital.

“Whenever we would have pediatric patients come in, and they needed IVs or labs or sutures, we would ask our child life specialist to talk to the child and the family. They would bond with the family, determine what kind of developmental age the child is at, and then structure education specifically for that patient,” she said. “Imagine if you were taken to a foreign country where you didn’t understand any of the language that is being said around you, and all of a sudden you go into a bright room and then they start poking you and doing things to you. You would be scared, even as an adult. So the child life specialists educate the patient on what to expect and ease the fear of the unknown.”

They demonstrate all items they may see, hear, and feel prior to a procedure.

For example, they show them the sterile towels, let them feel the saline and that it does not burn, and let the child touch any of items to be used.

They also determine the child’s interests and talk to them about what they like, sing a song or show a movie on a tablet to distract the child during procedures.

Being distracted helps them stay still and reduces the need to sedate children.

“You’re able to do more things with children when you meet them on their level,” Milliner said.

This is especially true for anxiety-inducing tests like a CT scan when a specialist can show the patient a video of another child getting the test and explain what to expect. This can also calm parents’ worries, who may be unfamiliar with the test.

And for procedures that are inevitably painful, like getting a shot, the specialist will work with the patient to help them breathe through it. There’s even a cart full of rewards (like toys and stickers) for bravery.

“Leaving the ED every day knowing I made a positive impact on pediatric patients is truly a rewarding and priceless experience,” Braxton Hurley, Owensboro Health Regional Hospital Child Life Specialist, said. “My goal each day is to help every pediatric patient I come in contact with become a little more comfortable in the medical setting. I strive to make patients smile in the most difficult circumstances.”

PEDIATRIC READINESS

B

ig things are happening for little patients in the Owensboro Health Regional Hospital Emergency Department. A new Child Life Specialist is on staff to help children (and their parents) have the best experience possible in the ED, and new care standards have been met as the facility earns Pediatric-Ready status. So, what does that mean for families?

6

Owensboro Health FA L L 2 0 2 2

The Emergency Department at Owensboro Health Regional Hospital has also been working to become a Pediatric-Ready Certified Facility. Pediatric Readiness systematically includes pediatric-specific needs in all aspects of emergency department care. This means that everyone in your care team, including transporters and EMS, have the right pediatric equipment and knowledge to care for pediatric patients.

These standards are necessary because 80% of pediatric patients who need emergency care come to a non-pediatric emergency department first for stabilization or transfer, and children have physical, developmental and psychosocial differences from adult patients. Meeting these guidelines can increase pediatric patient safety.

Owensboro Health Regional Hospital’s emergency department is one of 10 facilities in Kentucky that have this unique certification and the only one in western Kentucky. In 2021, the emergency department in Owensboro treated more than 7,500 pediatric patients.

These recent initiatives demonstrate our commitment to providing excellent care to our community. We want to keep you healthy. We want to make you proud.

Owensboro Health Regional Hospital

Nationally Recognized for High-Quality Stroke Care O

wensboro Health Regional Hospital has received the American Heart Association’s GoldPlus Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke Quality Achievement Award. This honor is for the commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized guidelines, ultimately leading to more lives saved and reduced disability.

Stroke is the No. 5 cause of death, and a leading cause of disability in the U.S. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts. When that happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood and oxygen it needs, so brain cells die. Early stroke detection and treatment are key to improving survival, minimizing disability and accelerating recovery times.

Get With The Guidelines puts the expertise of the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association to work for hospitals nationwide,

helping ensure patient care is aligned with the latest research and evidence-based guidelines. Get With The Guidelines - Stroke is an in-hospital program for improving stroke care by promoting consistent adherence to these guidelines, which can minimize the long-term effects of a stroke and even prevent death.

“The stroke team continuously reviews our processes and protocols to ensure that our work meets the needs of our patients and their loved ones,” Tabitha Drane, Owensboro Health Clinical Program Specialist, said. “We use evidenced-based care to improve patient outcomes and decrease complications of stroke. The end goal is to ensure more people in Owensboro can experience longer, healthier lives.”

Each year, program participants qualify for the award by demonstrating how their organization has committed to providing quality care for stroke patients. In addition to following treatment guidelines, Get With The Guidelines participants also educate

patients to help them manage their health and recovery at home.

The recognition comes from a team effort.

“Our stroke team is proud of the work that we do day in and day out with our stroke patients,” Drane said.

“Stroke care is truly interdisciplinary — from rapid triage, assessment and intervention in the emergency department to early acute care and therapy in the hospital and then rehabilitation. To be recognized for this on a national level is a great honor for all involved.”

The stroke care team was also recently recognized by U.S. News & World Report, the global authority in hospital rankings and consumer advice.

The organization named Owensboro Health Regional Hospital a 2022-2023 “High Performing Hospital” (the highest rating available) for the care of strokes, as well as heart attacks, COPD and kidney failure.

FA L L 2 0 2 2 Owensboro Health

7

Priyank Chauhan, MD

Harpreet Minhas, DPM

Thomas Schory, MD

Hospitalist

Podiatry

General Surgery

Aayushma Shah, MD

Adam Smith, DO

Internal Medicine

Psychiatry

OWENSBORO HEALTH WELCOMES

New Group of Five Physicians to Grayson County

F

ive Owensboro Health physicians have begun

of physicians to Owensboro Health and introduce

clinic, while family medicine and urgent care services

practicing in Grayson County, bringing new

them to the Grayson County community,” said Ashley

continue to grow, she said.

services and expanding access to care in the Twin

Herrington, chief executive officer of Owensboro

Lakes region. The announcement marks a significant

Health Twin Lakes Medical Center. “Not only are

milestone in Owensboro Health’s efforts to recruit

they highly skilled, but they have fully embraced our

providers to Grayson County—a focal point since the

mission, vision and core values. These physicians are

system acquired Twin Lakes Regional Medical Center

ready to help us improve the health of Grayson County

in 2020.

and all of the communities we serve.”

The new group of Grayson County providers includes:

Priyank

Chauhan,

MD

According to Herrington, Owensboro Health’s

Mack of

Howell,

Owensboro

chief

Health

operating

Medical

Group,

officer said

the region is a top priority for the system’s recruitment efforts.

“This exciting announcement fully demonstrates Owensboro Health’s commitment to bringing highquality services to Grayson County. We are working

(Hospitalist);

strategy to recruit providers and expand services in

Harpreet Minhas, DPM (Podiatry); Thomas Schory,

Grayson County has been gaining momentum for over

MD (General Surgery); Aayushma Shah, MD (Internal

a year. Since joining Owensboro Health, OHTLMC

and those efforts are starting to pay off. I am confident

Medicine) and Adam Smith, DO (Psychiatry).

has added pulmonology and sleep medicine in its

the residents of Grayson County will be pleased with

specialty clinic and a new outpatient behavioral health

the level of care they receive.”

“We are proud to welcome this outstanding group

8

Owensboro Health FA L L 2 0 2 2

diligently to recruit excellent providers to the region,

Women’s Pavilion Provides

Care and Compassion T

he Women’s Pavilion, a women’s health care center specializing in obstetrics and gynecology services, recently became part of the Owensboro

Health system.

The practice is known for providing superior care through highly skilled healthcare professionals and state-of-the-art technologies, while addressing the needs of patients in a warm and caring environment. The providers offer a full range of obstetrics and gynecology services from an initial exam to childbirth, menopause care and beyond.

The providers have a passion for caring for women and want to make women’s healthcare services more accessible.

“Our goal is to be a center where women can come to get to get all their women’s healthcare

Having more providers also means it’s easier to get a quick appointment.

Providers within the Women’s Pavilion include:

needs, including their yearly checkups, obstetric

“The ability to actually get in to see us in a

care, gynecologic care, and routine breast exam,

timely fashion is important,” Dr. Moore said. “A lot

(Front row L to R)

while making sure they keep updated with pap smear

of times when you need something in gynecologic

guidelines, which can be very, confusing at times,”

care, you need it pretty quickly. Joining Owensboro

said Dr. Angela Dawson. “I have a lot of patients

Health and having more practitioners allows us to do

Angela M. Dawson, MD, FACOG Andrea B. Moore, MD, FACOG

that will say, ‘I had a hysterectomy so I didn’t know I

same-day care.”

needed to have a checkup.’”

Dr. Dawson wants to help her patients understand screening evaluations so that they are being appropriately tested and treated.

Both doctors agree that getting a yearly exam is essential, but patients shouldn’t put off making an appointment if something is bothering them.

“Women in general tend to put everybody else

Joining the Owensboro Health system is one

ahead of themselves, especially in their families,” Dr.

step toward that goal, according to Women’s Pavilion

Moore said. “I like to remind my patients that, like

physician Dr. Andrea Moore.

the airline says, you’ve got to put your oxygen mask

(Back row L to R)

Megan R. Burch, APRN Kaitlin Wells, APRN Darla M. Alvey, APRN Ann G. Watson, APRN and delivery nurses prior to joining the practice.

“We are working within our system to, number

over your face first before you can help everybody

“We have a very close knit group and we’re

one, try to recruit more providers for women’s

else. It’s not only getting those yearly visits, but if you

willing to bounce ideas off of each other and there’s

health. By having a larger group of providers, we’re

feel like there’s something wrong, get that checked

always somebody to lend a hand,” Dr. Moore said.

able to do outreach outside of Owensboro and

out. Don’t ignore it. Don’t wait for it to go away.”

“Dr. Dawson and I have been working together for so

Daviess County, to the smaller communities that

Patients can feel comfortable knowing everyone

long, and I have complete trust in her and vice versa.

may not have obstetric care locally,” Dr. Moore said.

on the care team at the Women’s Pavilion has a long

We know that our main goal is to give the best care

“Primary care physicians can do gynecology, but they

history of working in women’s healthcare together.

that we can to our patients in the most compassionate

don’t specialize in things like urinary incontinence,

The nurse practitioners on the team have been with

way. And I think that just kind of sets us apart.”

pelvic pain or pelvic prolapse. Those are things that

the Women’s Pavillion between five and 10 years, but

women deal with, but don’t talk a lot about.”

they worked one-on-one with the doctors as labor

Make an appointment with the Women’s Pavilion today by calling 270-926-3700.

FA L L 2 0 2 2 Owensboro Health

9

Greenville Offers

Inclusive Playground

M

organ Park in Greenville has long been a popular spot for Muhlenberg County families to bring their children to play.

Thanks to recent updates, even more kids can enjoy the fun.

Over the summer, a new play structure with Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant features was completed, making it the only ADA-inclusive playground in the county. The former playground equipment was frequently used by kids of all ages, and the new equipment extends the opportunity to play to children with disabilities and those with temporary mobility due to injuries.

Owensboro Health is proud to be one of the organizations that helped this $200,000

10

Owensboro Health FA L L 2 0 2 2

project become a reality, thanks to a Community Health Investments Grant provided to the City of Greenville.

“Owensboro Health is so proud to provide funding to support this ADA-approved playground equipment,” Ed Heath, Chief Executive Officer at Owensboro Health Muhlenberg Community Hospital, said. “We hope this will be an awesome resource for ALL children in our community and encourage more outdoor physical activity for families in Muhlenberg County.”

The Owensboro Health Community Health Investments Grant program provides financial assistance to nonprofit organizations and governmental or public entities who are working

to address identified community health needs and social determinants, or drivers, of health. Grants are awarded for specific programs and projects with the defined Owensboro Health service area.

“Identifying the gaps in access to physical activity by those with disabilities or limited mobility, the challenges and opportunities that exist, and understanding the needs that presented themselves in the community health needs assessment were key to the City of Greenville’s successful grant application,” Debbie Zuerner, Owensboro Health Director of Community Engagement, said.

“Owensboro Health was pleased to be a partner, with many others, to help make this a reality.”

Family-Friendly Options Enhance

Healthpark Experience

S

tephanie Nitz — mom to three-year-old Hyette and one-year-old Elsie — manages to visit the Healthpark about six times a week.

When she became a member a year ago, she started by trying out the

walking track. “I was postpartum, so I was just trying to get a little bit of mobility back and not push myself too hard,” she said. A year later, she takes the morning boot camp class twice a week and works out in the cross-training room most days.

Her exercise schedule is made possible by the Playpark, a supervised play area with activities and toys for children ages six weeks to 12 years. This area provides children with a safe, nurturing environment while their parents exercise or attend a class.

Stephanie’s children have been coming to the Playpark regularly for the past year, and since the care for children starts at such a young age, she was able to bring her infant daughter to the Playpark as soon as she was ready to start working out.

Both kids love it, she said.

“My son keeps asking if he can go back to the Playpark now that he’s in preschool,” she laughed.

“I would not be able to exercise if the Healthpark didn’t have the Playpark,” Stephanie said. “I might be able to get in one day a week where my husband could watch the kids. But other than that, we don’t have any family here or anyone who could watch the kids. If the Playpark weren’t there, I basically wouldn’t work out.

So I’m very grateful for that service.”

She also suggests that moms use the Playpark to enjoy Healthpark services like a massage.

“Moms are constantly picking things up and bending over to help the little ones, and even though I work out and try to strengthen all my muscles, I’m sore all the time,” she said. “It’s nice to be able to use massage services, and it was easy for my husband to do his Christmas shopping and just get a gift card to the Healthpark that I can use for massage services.”

“It’s definitely a treat,” she added. “I can go get a massage and just relax for an hour and not have to worry about the kids but just enjoy myself.”

To add to the convenience, Stephanie will sometimes have lunch at the Healthpark’s CornerStone Cafe after working out, joined by her children and husband, Dr. Matthew Nitz, a radiologist.

“It’s really nice because the food is pretty healthy and very reasonably priced,” she said. “And then it’s just nice because the kids like being there. They like seeing everyone coming in and out, so it’s an easy way to give them a meal and still keep them entertained.”

The family has also taken advantage of Family Times at the Healthpark, during which members can bring their children to any first-floor amenities, like the pools, gym and table tennis area.

Stephanie said both kids enjoy swimming, so they’ve utilized the pool and have even had a playdate with another family and their children during Family Time. In fact, after moving to Owensboro from out of state, the Healthpark has been a great community builder for the family, allowing her to meet new people.

“I’ve definitely made friends through the Playpark, for example, another lady whose son is just a little bit younger than mine,” she said. “And then in the workout classes, it’s usually the same group of people that go to that Wednesday and Friday

When you’re a busy mom, making time to exercise might seem impossible. Thanks to the family-friendly services at the Owensboro Health Healthpark, parents don’t have to give up working out.

morning boot camp, so I’ve made friends that way as well.”

Stephanie said she’d encourage more families to use Family Time and the Playpark. “The staff there is fantastic,” she said. “It’s a great place for the kids, and they enjoy going to it.”

To learn more about the Playpark and other family-friendly services at the Healthpark, call 270-688-5433 or visit OwensboroHealth.org/Healthpark.

FA L L 2 0 2 2 Owensboro Health

11

®

Page 6

Owensboro Health Regional Hospital Nationally Recognized for High-Quality Stroke Care

1201 Pleasant Valley Road Owensboro, KY 42303

®

®

This holiday season, honor someone with a light on the Lights for Life tree!

T

he holiday season is the perfect time

Lights for Life Online Tribute Book, as well as

of year to touch the lives of others.

in a holiday tribute in the local newspaper.

Owensboro Health Foundation invites

Proceeds from Lights For Life provide

you to participate in Lights for Life by

funding for a myriad of programs and services

purchasing a symbolic light in honor or memory

that help meet the healthcare needs of patients

of a loved one.

and their families and the greater community.

Your sponsored light supports those in need

Owensboro Health Foundation served more

in our community while honoring a special

than 24,000 individuals in the past year with

person in your life. The lights make a thoughtful

services such as free mammograms and other

gift and express your appreciation for those

diagnostic services for women, care bears for

you love and cherish: friends, family, teachers,

children in the hospital, free car seats and

physicians, ministers, coaches, coworkers, or

bike helmets for families in need, equipment

anyone who has held a special place in your

to help care for NICU infants in their earliest

heart. We’ll mail a card to your loved one to let

days, hospitality suites providing a home away

them know of your kindness, and the name of

from home for families of patients, medication

the person you honor will be displayed on the

assistance to cancer patients and much more.

This year the Lights for Life program will be held in the areas served by Owensboro Health

Regional

Hospital,

Owensboro

Health Muhlenberg Community Hospital, Owensboro Health Twin Lakes Medical Center

and

the

Henderson

Healthplex,

allowing more individuals a chance to honor their loved ones. In December, the names of those honored through Lights for Life will be featured in a holiday tribute in the MessengerInquirer, Leader-News, Times Argus, Grayson County News Gazette and the Gleaner in Henderson County.

To participate, visit OwensboroHealth.org/ LightsForLife.