TIFT REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER
s u mmer 2 0 12
Put Poor Sleep to Bed Get a Boost Without Caffeine
Partnering for
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Better Care
Delivering Quality Health Care to
Tift County & South Central Georgia
Happy Anniversary, eICU! Tift Regional Medical Center is celebrating its first anniversary of partnering with Advanced ICU Care. Advanced ICU Care’s telemonitoring program allows an off-site team to monitor ICU patients at TRMC as an added layer of support for local staff and physicians. Thanks to remote care tools, such as real-time video feeds, bedside staff and Advanced ICU Care remote physicians and nurses can work as one team in caring for patients. Around-the-clock monitoring of patient data, such as vital signs, medications, and lab results—along with technology that identifies early warning signs of downward trends—allows physicians to intervene earlier to prevent complications. It’s been very comforting for patients to know their vital signs are always being monitored. Their families are relieved when they find out this extra layer of care exists, and they welcome the addition of an added care team. Each patient’s local primary physician still leads the healthcare team. Even though the Advanced ICU Care team monitors from another location, all of its physicians are active, credentialed members of the TRMC medical staff. For up-to-date news from TRMC, visit www.tiftregional.com to sign up for our free eNewsletter.
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Caffeine-Free
Energy If you need to jump-start your morning, choose energy-boosting options without harmful side effects of caffeine.
Caffeine may be an upper, increasing stimulation and alertness, but regularly consuming more than 300mg of caffeine daily can lead to anxiety, depression, increased heart rates, and difficulty sleeping. Along with these negative effects, regular caffeine use can result in dependence. If you’re already reliant on tea, soda, or coffee, consider gradually cutting back on your favorite beverage. Suddenly quitting caffeine intake can lead to withdrawal symptoms that include headaches, nausea, and irritability. Pregnant women, especially, should forgo caffeine, as it can negatively affect child development. “The morning slog is rarely an isolated period of drowsiness; often, people who struggle to gain energy in the morning have trouble keeping it throughout the day,” says Lora Efaw, MD, family practice physician on staff at Tift Regional Medical Center. “By maintaining a healthy lifestyle—including proper sleep, exercise, and dietary habits—you develop great reserves of energy that improve overall alertness.” Quick Kicks Sometimes, even healthy people greet the morning with a groan. For a caffeine-free wake-up call, consider these quick energy boosters: • Dine on a breakfast that includes water, fruit, and vegetables. • Lighten up; that is, turn your lights on and open your curtains. • Get moving with a brisk walk or light stretches. • Step into the shower before the water’s hot; the cold water will jolt you, but the coming warmth will dispel the freeze quickly. Dr. Efaw practices with the Center for Healing and Wellness and is on staff at TRMC. She can be reached at (229) 388-9393.
Summer
2012
(left) Sylvester Family Practice and HealthPlus participated in the 2012 Worth County Relay for Life. Pictured are Deborah Smith, Sherri Whisenant, Kristy Walters, Michelle Sturgess, Tonya Weaver, Melanie Burks, and Jennifer Graddy.
(right) TRMC’s Sarah Willis draws a winning ticket in the Community Spirit Basket Raffle. The fundraiser brought in more than $17,000, which goes directly to the TRMC Community Spirit Fund. The Fund benefits Tift County Relay for Life, United Way of South Central Georgia, and the TRMC Employee Benevolent Fund.
(left) Area physicians and members of the HealthPlus staff teamed up with Berrien County Middle School to provide free sports physicals to local students. Pictured are Dr. David Banks, Dr. Richard Wheeler, Dr. Henry Richbourg, and members of HealthPlus coaching staffs.
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and Berrien County
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Dr. Jairaj Goberdhan,
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A New Partnership in Town In an effort to meet the challenges of healthcare reform, Tift Regional Medical Center and Central Georgia Health System (CGHS) have joined forces to create a Regional Care Integrated Services Network.
While
both organizations remain independent entities, they are working together to advance services that support regional care coordination and delivery. Combining their visions for the future of health care, TRMC and CGHS remain confident in their ability to provide quality care throughout the region while meeting ever-evolving healthcare requirements. “During the past year, both TRMC and CGHS came to the conclusion that they shared common ideals and culture,” says William T. Richardson, CEO and president at TRMC. “Both organizations recognized an opportunity to work collaboratively to help ensure vitality during this time of rapid change in health care.” An Advantageous Alliance
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Pooling human and capital resources, this union enables TRMC and CGHS to provide new methods of support, coordination of care, and planning to physicians, hospitals, medical schools, and health systems across the region. Working together to meet the technological, clinical, business, and customer service requirements of healthcare reform, TRMC and CGHS have achieved success in the fee-for-value reimbursement model.
“TRMC and CGHS have recently acquired and/or are acquiring smaller providers that need to affiliate with larger organizations given the business imperatives of the new model of health care,” says Don Faulk, CEO and president at CGHS. “Our goal is to help ease future transition pressures for smaller-scale providers.” Continued Initiatives
While many hospital and physician providers throughout central Georgia strive to preserve their autonomy, they lack the financial and human capital to keep up with current healthcare demands. Now, these providers have the opportunity to become affiliated with the CGHS/TRMC partnership. “Providers can take advantage of our shared-services model while maintaining their independence,” Richardson says. “The centerpiece of the alliance is a collaborative emphasis on computer technology, which will allow for the timely exchange of patient information. This will ultimately improve outcomes and prevent duplication or over-utilization of healthcare services.”
To learn more about the Regional Care Integrated Services Network, visit www.tiftregional.com.
Summer
2012
Dedicated Care When You Need It The Affinity Hospitalists Program has proven to add to patients’ experiences at Tift Regional Medical Center.
It’s getting harder for physicians with offices to be able to cover daily appointments and see patients who are at the hospital. More and more physicians are choosing to use hospitalists and trusting hospitalists to take care of their patients. In fact, many local primary care physicians are choosing to have their patients who are admitted to TRMC taken care of by hospitalists. Hospitalists are physicians who are
trained to take care of patients’ special needs when they have been admitted to a hospital. This is very beneficial for hospitalized patients. Hospitalists are able to see patients every day to direct treatment while they are in the hospital. Hospitalists are also available 24 hours a day, which is especially helpful if any emergencies arise. This program benefits all other patients as well. It can enable primary care doctors to be more available in
their offices, rather than trying to go back and forth between seeing patients in the office and in the hospital.
Dreaming Big at the Sleep Center The National Institutes of Health estimate as many as
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Ready to improve your sleep life? Call (229) 353-7425 to learn more about the Sleep Center at TRMC’s Neurodiagnostics Center.
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70 million Americans suffer from a sleep disorder. Thanks to recent additions, Tift Regional Medical Center’s Sleep Center is equipped to assist patients who need help getting a good night’s rest. The Sleep Center at TRMC is pleased to welcome Jian Li, MD, to the medical staff as the medical director of the Sleep Center. “Dr. Li is board certified in multiple medical specialties, including internal medicine, pulmonary disease, critical care medicine, and sleep medicine,” says Jeff Robbins, director of Neurodiagnostics and Telehealth at TRMC. “Dr. Li offers expertise in sleep and sleep-related issues involving breathing and behavioral aspects of sleep disorders.” In addition, the Sleep Center recently added two beds to the laboratory. Now featuring a total of eight full-service beds, TRMC’s Sleep Center can better serve the growing number of patients referred by local physicians for sleep studies.
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Are Your Prospective Employees
Fit for the Job? Post-offer placement exams from WorkSmart at Tift Regional Medical Center can help you answer that question.
A post-offer placement exam measures a
Step It Up for Your Heart If you’re looking for ways to better your health this fall, Tift Regional Medical Center Foundation has an event to get you up and moving.
The sixth annual Stepping Out for Your Heart event will be held
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October 13 at the Northeast Campus of Tift County High School, where residents can walk or run to support those dealing with heart disease. Participants can register for a reduced fee of $15 until September 30, and $20 leading up to the day of the race. Every participant will receive a T-shirt. “This event is a great way to honor and support our local Heart Champions, or people who have been diagnosed with heart disease or stroke,” says Mandy Brooks, executive director of the Foundation. “Proceeds will benefit the Foundation’s Heart Safe Community program, which offers funding for patients who require cardiac rehabilitation but cannot afford this level of care. It’s a fun event for the whole family.” Heart Champions have their own tent on race day, featuring hearthealthy cuisine and an automatic external defibrillator presentation.
For more information or to register, please call the Foundation at (229) 391-3310 or visit www.trmcf.com.
prospective employee’s ability to perform the tasks—such as gripping, lifting, pulling, and pushing—required to succeed at certain jobs. If, for example, an individual must be able to lift a 50-pound bag of seed, a post-offer placement exam at WorkSmart determines if he or she is able to do so using proper lifting technique. An employer must contact WorkSmart to schedule a post-offer placement exam for a prospective employee. The exam can be performed in conjunction with a preemployment physical exam and a drug screening during one appointment. WorkSmart sends the employer a letter following the exam recommending the company hire or not hire the individual based on his or her ability to complete the tasks specified by the employer. “The great thing about post-offer placement exams at WorkSmart is that we tailor the exams to mimic what prospective employees will have to do on the job; this gives employers an accurate picture of whether the individuals they’re thinking of hiring will be capable workers,” says Carla Hall, director of occupational medicine at WorkSmart at TRMC. “Plus, these exams help employees stay safe by ensuring they don’t undertake tasks that are beyond their physical abilities.”
For more information about the services available at WorkSmart at TRMC, visit www.discoverworksmart.com.
Summer
Keeping Youngsters Young at Heart Habits that pave the way for heart disease later in life often begin in childhood. According to the American Heart Association, one in three children already has one or more risk factors for cardiovascular disease, including obesity, high blood pressure, and Type 2 diabetes. Are your kids on the path to developing heart disease? This summer, here’s what you can do to help: • Add fish and colorful veggies to the grilling menu. • For snacks, cut the sugar and saturated fats, and stock the kitchen with fruits and whole grains, instead. • No school means more free time. Get them moving with bike rides, trips to the pool, and team sports.
One of the most effective things parents can do to help instill heart-healthy habits in their children is to be positive role models by eating healthfully and exercising regularly. For information about cardiovascular services at Tift Regional Medical Center, visit www.tiftregional.com.
Overcoming Grief
Safe from Salmonella Salmonella, which could affect as many as 800,000 people each year, spreads from bacteria commonly found in animals, especially reptiles, and generally leads to diarrhea and fever lasting as long as a week. In some cases, the infection moves beyond the digestive tract to the blood stream, potentially infecting vital organs. To prevent salmonella in your home: • Do not consume raw animal products, such as eggs, poultry, or unpasteurized milk. • Do not directly touch infants or other individuals with weak immune systems after touching reptiles or birds. • Wash hands and utensils after touching raw meat or poultry. If you think you or someone you love may be suffering from salmonella, call (229) 382-7120 to speak with a family physician.
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Grief can sometimes be overwhelming not only for adults, but for children, too. Grief may present as shock, confusion, pain, anger, sorrow, or loneliness. Over time, and with support, these emotions may lessen and not appear as frequently. In our efforts to help children who are grieving, Hospice of Tift Area will be offering a unique support program, Camp Reflections. This program will be free and open to children in first through sixth grades. Facilitated by professional staff members, this one-day camp is designed to help children who are dealing with grief and offer a supportive environment for them. The program will be held Saturday, Sept. 8, from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at First Baptist Church in Tifton. Space is limited, so registration is required. To register or for more information, call Hospice of Tift Area at (229) 353-6330.
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PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PAID Lynchburg, VA Permit No. 830
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901 East 18th Street Tifton, GA 31794 www.tiftregional.com
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This publication in no way seeks to serve as a substitute for professional medical care. Consult your physician before undertaking any form of medical treatment or adopting any exercise program or dietary guidelines.
