Appalachian Health: Fall 2017

Appalachian Health LIVING WELL WITH ARH

Women’s Guide to

Preventive Screenings Healthy Lunches Kids Will Love Help for Addicts

FALL 2017 | ISSUE 1

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FROM THE PRESIDENT

IN THIS ISSUE

W

ith our focus being on improving health and promoting well-being of all people in Central Appalachia in partnership with our communities, we want to share through this new publication—Appalachian Health—important health-related information, new services and stories about people who are making a real difference in our hospitals and communities.

My hope is that you will see value in reading our new publication and become more aware of the exceptional healthcare services ARH offers your community.

Thank you for your continued trust in ARH. Sincerely,

Joe Grossman

President and CEO Appalachian Regional Healthcare

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ARH WINS REGIONAL TELEHEALTH AWARD

Appalachian Regional Healthcare (ARH) is proud to have earned the 2017 award for Telehealth Excellence in Service for Rural and/or Medically Underserved Populations. This honor, presented by the Mid-Atlantic Telehealth Resource Center, recognizes organizations that have used technology to improve patient health in rural areas. Telehealth allows patients to receive consultations from specialists in other locations. It also enables patients to share medical information, such as blood pressure and pulse, with their doctors without an office visit. ARH was recognized for two programs:  Remote Patient Monitoring Program. In this program, when patients with heart or lung diseases leave the hospital, devices that record specific health information are installed in their homes. Every day, the patient’s blood pressure, pulse, weight and oxygen level are sent via Bluetooth to a cloud server. A registered nurse reviews the information and takes action if anything is abnormal. The end result: less time in the hospital, more accurate treatment and a better quality of life for the patient.  Chronic Care Management Program. ARH currently has more than 400 people enrolled in this service, which helps patients who have two or more ongoing health issues stay in touch with their doctors between office visits.

Through email, phone and video chat, patients are able to check in with their health-care providers as needed to better manage their chronic conditions.

On average, the two pilot programs have reduced by 60 percent the number of patients who return to the hospital within 30 days of being discharged.

3Lunches Healthy for Kids

Four tips to help you pack school lunches that are sure to be eaten, not traded.

4 Health Screenings for

Women Stay on top

of your preventive care with this handy list of recommended screenings.

4 Help for Autism

How therapy can improve the lives of children with an autism spectrum disorder.

6 Sister Act

Volunteering runs in the family for these three sisters, who love helping others and being connected in the community.

7Opioid Taking on the Epidemic ARH offers two new sources of help for those affected by opioid abuse.

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Healthy Lunches

LIVING WELL WITH

KIDS LOVE

Four tips to help you pack school lunches that taste good to kids and are good for them, too.

How do you pack a school lunch that’s healthy, but has enough kid appeal that even the pickiest eater won’t trade it or toss it? In general, focus on foods that are low in sugar, trans fats and high-fructose corn syrup, but provide plenty of brain-boosting vitamins and minerals—and a dash of fun.

Here are some packed-lunch ideas to keep your conscience clear and your children satisfied.

Applewiches

Switch carb-loaded bread out for pairs of crisp apple slices, filling the space between with your choice of cheese, almond butter or peanut butter. (Check the rules regarding peanut products at your child’s school.) Applewiches are a good source of brain-friendly vitamin B6, protein and folic acid. If you’re using a nut spread, mix a few raisins in for a sweet surprise that adds fiber and iron.

Colorful veggies and hummus

Kids love to dip their food, and if they're dipping raw vegetables into calcium-rich, uber-healthy hummus, so much the better. If hummus doesn’t pass your child’s taste test, pack some low-fat ranch dressing. For dippers, try crunchy slices of cucumber, carrot sticks, slices of red pepper or sugar-snap peas.

Cheese wheel and crackers

Pump some calcium and protein into those growing bones by putting a fun spin on cheese and crackers. Individually packaged cheese mini-wheels travel well, and are fun to open and eat. (Check the ingredients to be sure you’re getting a real, rather than processed, cheese product.) Add wholewheat crackers and you're good to go.

Easy add-ons

Kids love lots of little items at their disposal. Tossing a yogurt “squeezer” (Greek yogurt packs more protein) or prepackaged fruit smoothie in with lunch is easy to do and keeps calcium, protein and B12 flowing. Look for brands and flavors with less sugar.

Appalachian Regional Healthcare | SUMMER 2017

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Health Screenings: A WOMAN’S GUIDE

Follow this guide to help ensure that health problems are detected early, when they’re most treatable. Your healthcare provider can modify these recommendations based on your medical history and personal risk factors.

BREAST HEALTH

 Breast Self-Exam: Women of all ages

should be familiar with their breasts, so they can discuss any changes with their healthcare provider.  Clinical Breast Exam: Every year for all ages.  Mammogram: Every one to two years, beginning at age 40, for women at average risk for breast cancer. Women 80 and older should discuss with their healthcare provider whether a mammogram is recommended for them.

COLON HEALTH

 Cancer screening: Colonoscopy every

10 years, or stool-based test (can be done at home and requires no bowel preparation) every year. Talk to your physician about which option is best for you. For those at average risk, colon-cancer screening should occur from age 50 to 75.

Help for

FALL 2017 |

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AUTISM

In the U.S., 1 in 42 boys and 1 in 189 girls has an autism spectrum disorder.

ARH hospitals offer expert help.

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Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) includes a wide range (a “spectrum”) of symptoms and levels of disability. In some people with ASD, symptoms are hardly noticeable. In others they’re severely disabling. People with ASD may have:  Difficulty communicating and interacting with others  Repetitive behaviors  A limited number of interests or activities  A tendency to avoid making eye contact  The ability to remember details for long periods of time According to the Centers for Disease Control, 46 percent of children with ASD are of above-average intelligence. Many are very good in math, science, music or art.

Treatment can reduce the negative impact of ASD, for example by improving social skills. The rehabilitation department at each ARH hospital has created an autism-friendly treatment environment to help patients feel welcome and comfortable in their surroundings. Each department has Certified Autism Specialists who have had extensive training and are experienced in the field of autism treatment.

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REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH

 Pelvic exam: Annually, throughout

life. This exam can help your doctor find evidence of various gynecologic conditions, including cancer, sexually transmitted diseases, fibroids and cysts.  Pap test: At least every three years through age 60. Women older than 60 should discuss with their healthcare providers whether this test, which screens for cervical cancer, is recommended for them.  Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) tests: Throughout life, before sexual intercourse with a new partner both partners should get tested for STIs, including HIV.  Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine: Women up to age 26 whose HPV vaccine series is incomplete (two to three doses are required, depending on the age at which the vaccine is given) should discuss vaccination with their healthcare provider.

In addition to the screenings listed here, any time you have concerns about your sleep habits, mental health, risk factors for disease or symptoms you are experiencing, talk with your doctor.

THINK PINK:

HEART HEALTH

 Blood pressure test: At least every

two years. High blood pressure can lead to a variety of health problems, including heart attack, heart failure, stroke, kidney disease and dementia.  Cholesterol panel: At least every five years, total cholesterol, LDL, HDL and triglycerides should be measured to assess heart-disease risk. Discuss the right frequency for you with your healthcare provider.

ONE-TIME SCREENINGS  Hepatitis C (HCV): If you’re born

between 1945 and 1965, talk to your doctor about this test.  Bone density: At least once. Talk to your doctor about the right age for you to be tested.

Early detection of disease can help people live longer, healthier lives, so keep a copy of these screening guidelines and share the information with friends and family who may benefit.

$50 Mammograms in October

One out of eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime. Early detection of the disease through regular mammograms greatly improves treatment options and chances of successful treatment and survival.

During the month of October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, ARH is offering a mammogram screening (including a radiologist’s interpretation) for just $50. A physician’s order is required.

Payment can be made by check, cash or credit card.

For more information, visit www.arh.org for an ARH location near you.

ASD affects each person differently, so ARH autism specialists focus on the individual’s specific needs, working with patients and families to improve quality of life and well-being. In addition to autism specialists, the staff at each ARH rehabilitation department includes physical, occupational and speech therapists. Our teams welcome the opportunity to make a difference for you and your family.

For more information contact your local ARH Rehabilitation Department. Find a complete list of locations at www.arh.org/rehab.

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Health Booster: VOLUNTEERING Studies show that those who help others may help their health in the process.

Sister Act

Volunteering runs in the family for these three sisters, who love helping others and being connected in their communities.

Growing up in Nowhere, Kentucky, in a family of 18 children, hard work and service to others were a way of life for the “Meade Bunch.” So it’s not surprising that three of the Meade sisters, Ogie Slone, Louise King and Debra Slone, volunteer at three hospitals for Appalachian Regional Healthcare (ARH).

“Our parents taught us to give back and appreciate what we had, even if it wasn’t much,” says Debra, the newest ARH volunteer among the sisters.

Eight years ago, Ogie was the first sister to start volunteering at ARH. She had retired recently from being a specialeducation teacher and administrator and missed the regular interaction with others.

So she started volunteering in the gift shop at McDowell ARH Hospital. Today, she says that her favorite part of volunteering is serving as a “listening ear.” She regularly invites giftshop visitors to pull up a chair, and before long she knows their life stories. On occasion, visitors have been known to stay more than two hours sharing their concerns and catching up on the latest news.

Ogie especially remembers serving as a compassionate listener for a woman who stopped in the gift shop following a visit to the clinic, where she had just learned she had breast cancer. “I hope I’ve made a difference in people’s lives through my service,” says Ogie.

“They’ve certainly made a difference in mine.”

Louise was next to join the ARH family, volunteering at Whitesburg ARH Hospital.

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A retired nurse, she was looking for a way to keep herself busy following her husband’s death. Louise works at the information desk at Whitesburg ARH, directing patients and visitors where they need to go. Louise hopes that she can brighten someone’s day through her volunteering. “I’m just trying to give back to my community; to repay a little of what has been given to me,” she says.

Debra, a retired teacher, quickly found a way to keep herself busy, following in her sisters’ footsteps as an ARH volunteer.

Though currently taking a break to care for family members, Debra has been a volunteer at Hazard ARH Regional Medical Center, serving at the information desk in the surgery waiting area and filling in wherever else she’s needed. Debra isn’t surprised that she and her sisters are volunteers—their parents instilled in all their children the importance of giving back.

The three sisters know all too well what it’s like to be on the other side in the hospital, either as patients themselves or as concerned family members, having lost several siblings to cancer and other illnesses. Volunteering at ARH gives them the chance to use those difficult experiences to help others.

ARH isn’t the only organization to benefit from the sisters’ service: They also share their time and talents with other groups and churches. Though they already had a strong family bond, volunteering clearly has deepened the ties they share.

Researchers have found that older Americans who volunteer are likely to be happier and more proactive about maintaining their health than their nonvolunteering counterparts.

They’re also less likely to develop high blood pressure, which can lead to heart disease and stroke—two of the top five leading causes of death in the U.S. Volunteers:  Feel more connected socially and are less likely to be depressed or to report feeling lonely.  Are 30 percent more likely to receive flu shots.  Are about 50 percent more likely to receive cholesterol tests, mammograms and prostate exams.  Are 40 percent less likely to develop high blood pressure if they log at least 200 volunteer hours per year.

To learn more about volunteer opportunities in your community, contact your local ARH hospital.

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Taking on the

The abuse of opioids—drugs prescribed to relieve pain—has become a huge problem in ARH communities and across the U.S. ARH offers two new sources of help for those affected.

OPIOID EPIDEMIC Over the past 20 years, overdose deaths involving prescription opioids have quadrupled in the U.S. The opioid-abuse epidemic continues to grow, and the areas served by Appalachian Regional Healthcare (ARH) are among the top in the nation for the number of opioid overdose-related deaths.

“Drug abuse and overdose can affect any family,” says Bart Francis, M.D., Emergency Department Director at the Hazard ARH Regional Medical Center. “Those addicted deserve every chance to get on the right path.”

ARH is committed to help reduce the impact of opioid abuse in our communities. Already in 2017, two new

Bart Francis, M.D.

Treating the addicted In addition to working to prevent overdose-related deaths, ARH has added a program that helps those who are living with addiction—whether to opioids,

other drugs or alcohol—by offering a local solution for management of withdrawal symptoms.

The program, called New Vision, is available at Hazard ARH Regional Medical Center. Patients must be admitted to the program by a physician.

The program includes a hospital stay (typically three to five days) to stabilize the patient, and planning for support after the patient leaves the hospital.

Using a team approach, the program offers treatment designed to meet the needs of each individual patient.

“There is a significant need in our area for a service such as this,” says Dan Stone, Community CEO at Hazard ARH. “We want to give those living with substance-abuse issues the resources they need to overcome addiction and move forward with their lives.”

For more information about naloxone, contact an ARH Retail Pharmacy location near you. Visit www.arh.org for a complete list of locations. To learn more about the New Vision program at Hazard ARH Regional Medical Center, call (606) 487-7682.

Appalachian Regional Healthcare | FALL 2017

Dan Stone

programs have been introduced: one to help reduce deaths from overdose and another to address the treatment needs of addicts.

To help prevent overdose deaths, ARH retail pharmacies throughout eastern Kentucky and southern West Virginia now offer the medication naloxone, more commonly known as Narcan, without a prescription to the following groups: those who take opioid medications, family members and friends of those taking opioids, and first responders. When given quickly, naloxone can reverse the life-threatening effects of an opioid overdose. The drug can be administered easily by trained lay people.

“We must stop having to bury our [addicted] loved ones,” says Dr. Francis, “and naloxone is instrumental in this effort.”

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WEST VIRGINIA

Beckley ARH Hospital 306 Stanaford Road Beckley (304) 255-3000 Summers County ARH Hospital 115 Summers Hospital Road Hinton (304) 466-1000

Mary Breckinridge ARH Hospital 130 Kate Ireland Drive Hyden (606) 672-2901 McDowell ARH Hospital Route 122 McDowell (606) 377-3400

KENTUCKY

Middlesboro ARH Hospital 3600 West Cumberland Ave. Middlesboro (606) 242-1100

Barbourville ARH Hospital 80 Hospital Drive Barbourville (606) 546-4175

Morgan County ARH Hospital 476 Liberty Road West Liberty (606) 743-3186

Harlan ARH Hospital 81 Ball Park Road Harlan (606) 573-8100

Tug Valley ARH Regional Medical Center 260 Hospital Drive South Williamson (606) 237-1700

Hazard ARH Regional Medical Center 100 Medical Center Drive Hazard (606) 439-6600

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Appalachian Regional Healthcare, Inc. ARH System Center—Hazard 100 Airport Gardens Road Hazard, KY 41701

Whitesburg ARH Hospital 240 Hospital Road Whitesburg (606) 633-3500

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