North Carolina Newspapers

cm He & Fitness ‘98 Section A, Page 8 Herald/Times December 17, 1998 MedCenter Air expands Kings Mountain Hospital services MedCenter air is on the move, day or night. The aircraft and crews are in a constant state of readiness, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Its primary purpose is to transport, quickly and safely, those patients who require imme- diate or critical medical care. Kings MOUNTAIN Hospital's alliance with Carolinas HealthCare System and MedCenter air has cre- ated a lot of community comfort, says Ken Flowe, M.D., medical director of the Emergency Depart- ment at Kings Mountain Hospital. "It's beneficial for two main rea- sons - the rapidity that it gets someone to tertiary care and the ease of referral. One phone call and everything happens.” MedCenter air is equipped to transport all critically ill or injured patients, high risk infants, stabi- lized patients who need transfers for specialized treatment, and pa- tients with serious medical prob- lems who require specialists or technology not available in their own community. It has five air- craft (two jet helicopters, two turbo-prop airplanes and one jet plane) and five mobile intensive care ground transport units. According to Dr. Flowe, the two most common patient diagnoses that require transport are unstable angina that needs cardiac catheterization and trauma. "We have seen an increase in trauma patients because this area is grow- ing and our proximity to I-85." Each member of the MedCenter air medical team is uniquely quali- fied to serve in this highly special- ized duty. Recruited specifically for the flight service, each regis- tered nurse and respiratory thera- pist has years of experience in emergency or intensive care medi- cine, and each maintains the high- est level of certification. And, if required, a crew of speicalists such as a neonatal transport team can accompany the flight. Dr. Flowe points out that access to MedCenter Air's ground units is as valuable as access to the air units. Some patients may not re- quire short transit times, but still require tertiary care. "These am- bulances from Charlotte reduce the demand on the county's lim- ited transportation resources." MedCenter Air's medical control is provided by a select group of board-certified emergency medi- cine physicians. It is their respon- sibility to accept a patient for air transport and to relay all impor- tant patient information and trans- port orders to the flight team. A state-of-the-art communications and dispatch center enables the crew to consult with physicians as needed, to prepare the receiving facility for the arriving patient and to coordinate ground transporta- tion, if necessary. "Sometimes the weather prohib- its air transport, but we don't al- ways know that," adds Dr. Flowe. "By having both ground and air units, MedCenter Air can cut down the number of phone calls and confusion by determining flight appropriateness and sending a ground unit instead if necessary." Members of the flight crew are also carefully selected for aeromedical transport. Gully cer- tified and licensed by the Federal Aviation Administration, each pi- lot has extensive flight experience. All pilots receive additional train- ing in-flight safety every six months and maintain all required ratings specific tot he industry. all aircraft are serviced and inspected on a daily basis and operated un- der the most stringent regulations. The interiors of all MedCenter Aircraft are custom designed ex- clusively for aeromedical transpor- tation. The sophisticated medical systems on board are permanently installed to ensure optimum pa- tient care and the safe transport of patients. This allows the medical team to administer the most highly advanced medial treatment, as re- quired. In 1997, MedCenter Air received Accreditation with Commenda- tion from the Commission on Ac- creditation of Medical Transport Services (CAMTS). In making its findings know, the CAMTS Board of directors noted, "this accredita- tion recognizes MedCenter Air for Substantial compliance with the Accreditation Standards and also for outstanding and innovative areas of excellence at the time of this application and the site sur- vey. Out patient procedures increasing at Kings Mountain Hospital With preventive medicine on the rise, the Kings Mountain (KMH) outpatient staff is experi- encing an increase in edoscopy pir oc ieiidiiutr eis . Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) and coloncscopy are low risk procedures performed by physicians who are specially trained. While many factors contribute to physicians suggesting an endoscopy to their patients, an EGD is helpful to both diagnosis the inflammation of the esopha- gus, stomach or duodenum, and to identify the site of upper gas- trointestinal bleeding or infection. An EGD is more accurate than an x-ray in detecting gastric and duodenal ulcers, and may detect early cancers too small to be seen by x-ray. A colonscopy is helpful in the diagnosis and treatment of many diseases of the large intes- tine. When x-rays are negative, Kings Mountain Kings Mountain Hospital (KH) was recently selected to present the results of a project designed to improve the care delivered to patients experiencing a heart at- tack The symposium entitled Im- proving the Care Delivered to Pa- tients with Acute Myocardial In- fraction was sponsored jointly by Medical Review of North Caro- lina (MRNC), The School of Medi- cine of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Greensboro AHEC. Eighteen hos- pitals attended to learn practical ways to improve the healthcare delivered to patients diagnosed with acute myocardial infractior (heartattack). «www SA KMH formed a quality im- provement group in 1997 to iden- tify how to improve healthcare b the cause of symptoms, such as rectal bleeding or change in bowel habits, may be found by colonscopy. Regina Gregg, R.N.M.S., KMH director of patient care services and chief nurse executive, said, "We have one endoscopy suite located within the operating room complex and four private internists referring patients. KMH averages 20-25 endoscopy procedures a week." KMH uses a teamwork ap- proach for preparing patients. Once a physician orders a proce- dure, the nursing and anesthesia staff of KMH meet with the pa- tient to perform lab work and educate the patient regarding -what to expect before, during and after the procedure. She stresses that patients are constantly suporvised from he time of admission until going back to their room or released from out- patient care. The staff also calls patients the next day to follow-up on their progress. Most patients are in recovery for 30 minutes and then go back to their rooms. A recovery time of 2-4 hours is rec- ommended for patients having the procedure performed as outpa- tient. Family members are encour- aged to stay with a patient while in recovery. "Our first concern is for the pa- tient," Gregg said. "We individu- alize the care given to patients and their families and want them to be comfortable throughout their stay." Area physicians who perform endoscopy procedures at KMH include: Dr. Austin Osemeka (Gas- troenterologist), Dr. Abdul Gangoo (Internal Medicine), Dr. Syed Thiwan (International Medicine), and Dr. Elizabeth Cunningham (General Surgery). : Hospital delivers EST practice delivered to patients experiencing a heart attack. The group in- cluded physicians, nurses, labo- ratory technologists, radiology technologists and administrators. The goals of the project were to: eImprove patient education about managing heart disease and coping with a heart attack. eImprove timing and effective- ness of initial medical treatment gles Mountain Hospital And’ The Power ese Plans Unlock ‘The System For You PPO PLANS Companion Health Care Aetna US Healthcare Doctors Health Plan Alliance Preferred Network Ethix Southeast BlueCross BlueShield of NC Health Care Savings CAPP CARE HealthStar CIGNA HealthSource CNA Health Partners Jefferson Pilot Ethix Southeast Kanawha HealthCare Health Care Savings MedCost HealthStar PHP of SC Healthsource Premier Jefferson Pilot Prudential Joan Fabrics The Wellness Plan Mecklenburg Medical Society United Healthcare MedCost WellPath f NC Teachers/State Employees : PHP of SC HMO PLAN Premier Aetna US Healthcare Primary Physician Care Atlantic Health Plans Prudential BlueCross BlueShield of NC € SC State Employees Companion Health Care United Healthcare Doctors Health Plan Wal-Mart Healthsource WellPath HMO Blue Kanawha HealthCare POINT-OF-SERVICE PLANS PHP of SC Aetna US Healthcare Prudential Atlantic Health Plans The Wellness Plan BlueCross BlueShield of NC United Healthcare CAPP CARE WellPath CIGNA Flexcare TH ¥@ Kings Mountain Hospital Carolinas HealthCare System 706 W. Kings Street P.O. Box 339 Kings Mountain, NC 28086 (704) 739-3601 patients receive when they arrive at the hospital. e Improve patient recovery and life-style after a heart attack. Marie Graham, R.N., KMH nurse manager, was notified by MRNC that changes made by KMH’s quality improvement group gave KMH the distinction of Best Practice in treating myo- cardial infractions. “The fact that we were asked to present our findings during the symposium is a compliment to our hospital and our staff.” As a result of the KMH project, hospital staff made several impor- tant changes. New educational materials were developed to as- sure that patients and their fami- lies learn about taking aspirin and managing diet for maximum re- covery. The administration of medications which dissolve the clots causing a heart attack were accelerated by 45 minutes or more in some cases. Finally, KMH be- gan the Outpatient Cardiac Reha- bilitation Program, a 12-week course on managing stress, diet, exercise and medication. For more infor- mation regarding the Outpatient Cardiac Rehabilitation Program, call 739-3601. Be flu smart! Advice from experts (NAPS)—Influenza is not “just the flu.” Because the disease can be extremely virulent and deadly, the American Lung Association and ZymeTx, Inc., with recom- mendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), have joined forces to kick off National Flu Awareness Month™ this November, a nation- wide awareness campaign to edu- cate Americans about the preven- tion, diagnosis and treatment of influenza. ZymeTx is the devel- oper of ZstatFlu™, the first and only rapid point-of-care test to diagnose all strains of both influ- enza A and B. According to Linda B. Ford, MD, President of the American Lung Association, along with Robert J. Hudson, MD, Medical Director of ZymeTx, Inc. and his flu-fighting sidekick, Dr. Flubug™, flu season needn’t catch us off guard. Their advice follows: Facts about flu ¢ Influenza is an acute, upper respiratory infection caused by the Type A and Type B influenza viruses. * Every year, there are more than 90 million cases of influenza in the U.S. * During past epidemics in the U.S., the flu has caused between 20,000 and 40,000 d-..: hs. * People at hichet risk for seri- ous, life-threateuuy. apacations include the elderly, young children, individuals with chronic illnesses and compromised immune sys- tems, and pregnant women. ¢ Flu is most contagious in its early stages, before infected peo- ple are even aware they are car- rying the virus. The incubation period is 1 to 4 days. Flu symptoms * Sudden onset of high fever, 102°-104°, lasting up to 5 days. * Dry cough for up to 3 days, then wet cough for up to 7 days. Cough may persist for as long as two weeks. * Headache and muscle pain, lasting up to 4 days. e Sore throat in” older children and adults, lasting up to 3 days. ° Fatigue lasting up to 3 weeks. Preventing flu * An annual flu shot is the best flu insurance. * You cannot get the flu from the flu shot. e September through mid- November is the ideal time to be vaccinated. ® Vaccination can reduce the severity and complications of flu if you do get the virus. * The flu shot is especially important for the chronically ill and those over 65. How to tell if it’s the flu * Influenza is very difficult to diagnose without a test...even for the experts. e Go see your doctor at the first sign of symptoms. e Ask your doctor about the new rapid flu test that lets you know within 30 minutes if you have the flu. ¢ A positive flu diagnosis elim- inates the need to prescribe antibiotics “just in case” some- thing other than flu is present. Treatment and relief from symptoms * Effective treatment can only be started if a definitive diagnosis is made within the first 48 hours from the onset of symptoms. e Antiviral medications are a safe and effective treatment for influenza A viruses, shortening the duration of flu and preventing complications. e Remember, don’t demand antibiotics for the flu; they do not help viral infections. e If you do catch the flu, get plenty of bed rest and drink lots of fluids. Medications with aceta- minophen can help to relieve pain and discomfort associated with fever, muscle aches and headaches. For more information about influenza, visit the American Lung Association web site at www.lungusa.org, the ZymeTx, Inc. web site at www.fluI01.com, or the CDC web site at www.cde.gov. Comfort from the common cold (NAPS)—As much as we love the winter’s first snowfall, we hate the first ACHOO! And since a winter cold is nothing to sneeze at, it’s best not to wait until the next ice age for a cure. The follow- ing are a few suggestions to make recovery more comfortable. Rest! Most importantly, re- main in bed. Everyone knows that rest is essential when you have a fever, but not everyone knows that it is important to stay horizontal for up to two days after the fever is gone. Doing so will give your body time to heal and minimize the risk of spreading your cold to others. Drink! Two commonly used cold and flu cocktails are hot apple cider garnished with a cin- namon stick and chamomile tea with a slice of lemon. For pure protein power in a liquid, try clear chicken broth. Comfort! Since there is no cure for the common cold, look for “nat- ural” alternative products to help chase away the chills and clear the way to a good night's sleep. For example, The Healing Garden Cold Comfortheraphy line of holistic fragrance products— created with essential oils of euca- lyptus and menthol and natural extracts of echinacea, golden seal and zinc—provides cold season comfort for the entire family. To warm up, just add Chills Chaser Bath Crystals to a hot water bath and immerse yourself in the penetrating warmth of soothing eucalyptus waters. The Rest Easy Soothing Cold Candle can help you set the mood. For a restful and recuperative sleep, clear the air of stale, sickroom odors with Breathe Deeply Pillow & Room Spray—the last thing you want when you have a cold is a stuffy room to go with your stuffy head. The Cold Comfortheraphy line also includes an Un-Stuff Vaporizing Balm and Tender Last- ing Care Lip Balm. Of course, once you have your cold symptoms under control, all the above suggestions can be used to simply rest and unwind after a long workday!