Revealing the Myths (Part 1 of 2)

By Dayton Preston | Wellness Program Manager | Columbus Regional Healthcare System

Dayton Preston

We are often sidetracked from our effective wellness practices by a lot of hype in the industry, which takes time away from our solid efforts. Let’s take a look at some common myths in the wellness industry that can misdirect us and ultimately result in frustration because of the lack of results.

The Myth: Detox Diets are Safe and Effective

According to the National Institutes of Health, there’s no scientific proof that these diets help rid the body of toxins better than our normal processes. These diets often include a lot of water, fruit, vegetables and fiber, but typically don’t provide enough variety or overall caloric consumption for the body’s vital functions. Detox diets have the potential to cause serious side effects that can result from malnutrition.

Many of these diets make false claims that the body cannot handle the amount of toxins to which we are typically exposed. The truth is that the body has functions in place for ridding itself of toxins—specifically, liver and kidney functions. These organs do the job in healthy adults by eliminating toxins through sweat, feces and urine.

Optimizing the body’s natural ability to detoxify is done by consistently eating a balanced and adequate supply of nutrient-rich foods, staying hydrated, and getting adequate exercise and sleep. Detox diets are described as just another round of the diet fads that have the potential to cause health risks.

Remember, temporary changes lead to temporary results. Also called jumpstarts for weight loss, these diets send the wrong message. Better health from good nutrition is not achieved with sporadic surges, but with prolonged and consistent intake of balanced eating with moderation—not disallowance—of unhealthy foods.

The Myth: Carbs are Fattening

Simple carbohydrates such as refined and processed sugar items should be limited. However, for the healthy adult, the complex carbohydrates such as rice, potatoes, breads and pasta need to be included in our daily nutritional intake of food.

The problem is not the carbs, but what we typically do to them. Adding sauces, bacon, cheese, butter, sour cream and other high-fat items add to the overall caloric content. The bottom line in controlling the storage of body fat is caloric exchange with balanced eating and adequate exercise, not simply cutting carbs.

We’ll take a look at more myths in my next blog…

Telemedicine Care Another Advancement at The Medical Center

By Joseph R. Zanga, M.D. | Chief of Pediatrics | The Medical Center

Dr. Joseph R. Zanga

Columbus Regional is developing a Women and Children’s Center on its campus to house not only the region’s most advanced Labor and Delivery Service and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, but also the most advanced Inpatient and Pediatric Critical Care Units (PCCU) for older children and adolescents.

One example of the continuation of that advanced care is the soon-to-come online Telemedicine Care system. This state of-the-art technology will allow pediatric specialists in Augusta and Atlanta to see patients here in Columbus in real time, view vital sign monitors, ventilator settings, imaging studies, laboratory findings, skin color/lesions, the inside of the eyes and ears, and other items, in high resolution. It will allow them to talk with the patient (if appropriate), listen to heart, lung and abdominal sounds, and perhaps in the not-too-distant future, even “feel” necessary parts of the child as if they were here at The Medical Center, in order to assist us in care.

Beyond that, it will also allow specialists on our staff to offer patient consultations to physicians in distant communities. Both are major advances from the long and scary ambulance ride to an unfamiliar hospital in a far away place.

Lacy Lee, child life specialist in the Children’s Center at The Medical Center, with 12-year old Brittney Braggs, a patient who drew Lacy’s winning raffle ticket for a Mother’s Day basket at Miracle Friday.

Even in these difficult economic times, the generosity of Columbus Regional Healthcare employees toward children in the Columbus, Georgia community was at an all-time high on Miracle Friday!

A record-breaking $33,500 was contributed for the Children’s Miracle Network at The Medical Center. The special fundraising event was held the Columbus Regional Conference Center at The Medical Center.

Our sincere gratitude goes to those who filled the 37 baskets, bid on the baskets, and bought the baked goods and barbeque that contributed to raising the record-breaking amount.

Dan Cullison, M (ASCP), supervisor of Microbiology and Molecular Testing at The Medical Center’s Lab, and Chris Curlee, MT (ASCP), medical technologist, with the Ampli Prep/Taqman 48 that extracts and purifies DNA for a new level of testing.

For most people in Columbus, Georgia area, April 15 was significant because of the deadline to file their income taxes. But for the Department of Pathology at The Medical Center, it was a monumental day!

After a year and a half of planning, researching, training and testing, the first patient test was completed in our new section of the laboratory, officially known as the Molecular Diagnostic Lab.

The new lab is the first kind in our part of the state that uses Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing, a relatively new science that looks for the unique DNA or RNA of a pathogen, rather than identifying the pathogen through more conventional culture methods.

Only Emory University and the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta and the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta can offer the precise genetic testing that the new lab will bring to the Columbus region.

Advantages for Patients and Regional Medical Community

The advantages of this progressive technology to evaluate diseases, disorders and abnormalities are numerous:

• Decrease in turnaround time: Currently, all PCR testing requests are sent to a lab in North Carolina, with results returned in 7–10 days. By having such tests done in real-time in Columbus, our physicians will get results back much quicker.

• Sensitivity and specificity: PCR testing is preferred over conventional culture methods due to its high degree of accuracy, which approaches 99–100 percent.

• Potential to expand testing: PCR testing at The Medical Center is currently used for detecting hepatitis C disease and HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Guided by physicians’ needs and potential for growth, additional tests will be offered in the future.

• Cost savings: The Medical Center saves money by not having to pay for testing at another location.

Ultimately, the decreased turnaround time for results translates to a decrease in length of stay for our patients and the physician’s ability to begin treatment sooner.

And because of its accuracy, the new lab will supplement and in some cases supplant some of our current testing. This creates great potential for us to become a regional referral lab for other hospitals!

Eight outstanding Columbus Regional Healthcare System nurses were recognized at the 2010 Jean Hartin Nursing Excellence Awards Ceremony at the Columbus Regional Conference Center at The Medical Center last month.

Awards went to top nurse leaders, R.N.s and L.P.N.s. Recognition was also given to nurses for their professional growth through degrees, licensures and advanced certification.

Jean Hartin, who retired as vice president of Clinical Services at Columbus Regional, was present for the ceremony.

Doctors Hospital Award Winners

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  Holly McGucken (CNO, Doctors Hospital), Terri Roland, R.N. (Outpatient Surgery, Nurse Leader of the Year), Melissa Johnson, R.N. (Labor and Delivery, R.N. of the Year), Rachel White, L.P.N. (Emergency Department, L.P.N. of the Year) and Kevin Sass SEO, Doctors Hospital).

  Terri Roland, R.N. (Outpatient Surgery, Nurse Leader of the Year): Terri has been a cornerstone to the nursing leadership at Doctors Hospital for many years. Her leadership in the hand-off communication project gave us “ticket to ride,” a tool to assist in communication between nursing and ancillary departments.

• Melissa Johnson, R.N. (Labor and Delivery, R.N. of the Year): Melissa is a very unassuming nurse who quietly makes sure that patients and families have everything they need. She is a wonderful source of information and is very well educated, with a master’s degree in nursing and certification in her field of obstetrics.

• Rachel White, L.P.N. (Emergency Department, L.P.N. of the Year): Rachel was chosen for her exemplary nursing skills and is considered to be the cornerstone of the Emergency Department. Her commitment to high-quality patient care is seen in everything she does.

Hughston Hospital Award Winners

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  James “Butch” Wheeler (SEO, Hughston Hospital), Cheryl Gosha, L.P.N. (2 North, LPN of the Year), Tami Hobson, R.N. (2 South, R.N. of the Year) and Lori Striblin, R.N. (Intensive Care Unit, Nurse Leader of the Year), Michelle Breitfelder (CNO, Hughston Hospital).

  Lori Striblin, R.N. (Intensive Care Unit, Nurse Leader of the Year): Lori is caring, compassionate and kind-hearted. She has a difficult job at Hughston Hospital, and she does it with admirable determination and grace. She is the go-to person to solve any problem and is always ready to help in any way she can.

• Tami Hobson, R.N. (2 South, R.N. of the Year): Tami shows dedication to quality patient care by taking charge of the overall care of her patients. She is kind and compassionate and always approachable, demonstrating a high degree of knowledge and getting involved to see that tasks get completed.

• Cheryl Gosha, L.P.N. (2 North, LPN of the Year): Cheryl is the nurse with a heart of gold, always demonstrating patience and great leadership skills. She will stop and assist anyone in need of help. Patient care is always first.

The Medical Center and Affiliated Facilities Award Winners

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  Lance Duke (president and CEO, The Medical Center), Josephine “Joie” Gosa, R.N. (8 Main, Nurse Leader of the Year), Jean Hartin (retired vice president of Clinical Services, Columbus Regional) and Robbyn Ceasar, R.N. (Endoscopy, R.N. of the Year), Babs McKnight (CNO, The Medical Center).

  Josephine “Joie” Gosa, R.N. (8 Main, Nurse Leader of the Year): Joie delivers real time teaching at the bedside for newer nurses, serves as a surrogate “manager and leader” on a unit in transition, is the primary practitioner of the palliative care program, and teaches formal course work, refusing to waiver on excellence.

• Robbyn Ceasar, R.N. (Endoscopy, R.N. of the Year): Robbyn is seen as the type of nurse girls and boys aspire to become; she is seen as a model nurse. She goes above and beyond—both from the patient care perspective as well as the team member perspective—and is very focused on excellence.

Larry Sanders (Columbus Regional Chairman and CEO), Susan McRae (Radiology Supervisor, Radiology, Doctors Hospital), Beth Bussey (Clinical Nutrition Specialist, Oncology Outreach, John B. Amos Cancer Center), Patricia Alexander (Registrar, Admissions/Registration, Hughston Hospital), Carolyn Chaney (Clinical Coordinator, 7 Main, The Medical Center) and Bobbie Newsome (Pharmacy Technician Senior, Outpatient Pharmacy, The Medical Center).

The announcement of five Columbus Regional Healthcare recipients of the Chairman’s Award of Excellence highlighted an event-filled Employee Appreciation Week last month.

The employees were selected from the monthly “I Make the Difference!” honorees from May 2009–April 2010 for exemplary performance and exceptional customer service.

The recognition luncheon on May 13 at the Columbus Regional Conference Center at The Medical Center was attended by the past year’s honorees along with alumni of the distinguished employee award.

Larry Sanders, chairman and CEO of Columbus Regional, presented the five honorees with a framed resolution from the Columbus Regional board of directors, a heart-shaped Frabel glass sculpture, and a check for $1,000.

A full-page ad ran in the Sunday, May 16 issue of the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer that recognized the award recipients and honorees from the past year.

The guest speaker for the luncheon was comedian Kent Rader.

About the 2010 Chairman’s Award of Excellence Recipients

• Patricia Alexander (Registrar, Admissions/Registration, Hughston Hospital): Patricia’s face is one of the many stellar images of Hughston Hospital, and her style and grace epitomize all that it represents. She quickly puts patients and family members at ease and reassures them they are in a special place. Her friendliness is contagious, and she is a wonderful ambassador for the hospital.

• Beth Bussey (Clinical Nutrition Specialist, Oncology Outreach, John B. Amos Cancer Center): Beth has an incredible passion for the work that she does. She is an outstanding practitioner who is dedicated to the success and development of all employees. Her energy, creativity, commitment and desire for quality of care and life for her patients are endless.

• Carolyn Chaney (Clinical Coordinator, 7 Main, The Medical Center): Carolyn has mentored and guided multiple generations of new graduate nurses to become excellent nurses. She is sought for her clinical knowledge, expertise and guidance by physicians, co-workers and students. She makes all patients feel secure because of the confidence and competence she exudes.

• Susan McRae (Radiology Supervisor, Radiology, Doctors Hospital): Susan epitomizes commitment, service and loyalty to Doctors Hospital. She is a faithful and dedicated employee who serves the organization in any capacity possible to make it a better place. She delivers personal care, comfort and reassurance to her patients and their family members as if they were her own family.

• Bobbie Newsome (Pharmacy Technician Senior, Outpatient Pharmacy, The Medical Center): Bobbie is humble, honest and sincere and not only accomplishes what is required, but also always goes the extra mile. Her broad knowledge of all areas of the Pharmacy has made her the “right hand” to pharmacists and managers. Bobbie is that very special employee you can trust and depend upon.

Support Scott and The Miracle Riders, Children’s Champions

By Joseph R. Zanga, M.D. | Chief of Pediatrics | The Medical Center

Dr. Joseph R. Zanga

I came to Columbus 18 months ago because I wanted to be a part of that effort which had the unified support of the pediatric and lay community. Now you can be a part of that future too.

On Friday, May 28, Country’s Barbeque co-owner Scott Ressmeyer returns from riding his Harley through the lower 48 (this year with 10 other children’s champions) in support of the Children’s Miracle Network at The Medical Center. CMN raises funds to support some of the extraordinary work we do here.

Click to visit the Scott’s Ride for Miracles blog.

You all know of the long standing, regionally recognized care we provide to the smallest and often sickest of our citizens in our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Whether born at The Medical Center, sometimes unexpectedly, or transported after birth—often with heroic effort by the NICU team—these tiny infants are surrounded by specialized equipment purchased with CMN funds.

So read about Scott’s Ride for Miracles on his blog and open your hearts and wallets to support what these men are doing to support Children’s Miracle Network at The Medical Center, to support children, to support our community’s future.

Doctors Hospital’s new laparoscopic room by Stryker will resemble this design for the optimal operating environment for surgeon, staff and—most importantly—patient.

Doctors Hospital’s reputation for excellence in Surgical Services will be enhanced this year with a major upgrade of more than $1 million.

Doctors Hospital’s reputation for excellence in Surgical Services will be enhanced this year with a major upgrade of more than $1 million.

New acquisitions and enhancements targeted to be in place by June 2010 include:

• Anesthesia machines
• Laparoscopic room
• Mini c-arm
• New surgical lights
• Operating room tables
• Urology equipment
• Video towers

The proposed upgrades to equipment will enable surgeons to provide quality outcomes for our patients with improved technology, improved timeliness of diagnosis and treatment, and care in a safe environment.

Maintaining Top Performance in Physician Satisfaction

The upgrades will also allow Doctors Hospital to maintain top performance in physician satisfaction with Surgical Services.

• In a 2009 Physician Satisfaction survey, Doctors Hospital ranked in the:
• 99th percentile for post-operative care
• 90th percentile overall for excellence for surgical services
• 100th percentile for turnover between cases
• 100th percentile for ease of scheduling
• 100th percentile for administration of pre-op orders

About Surgical Services at Doctors Hospital

Located on the first floor directly adjacent from Radiology, the Operating Room at Doctors Hospital is a nine-suite unit specializing in, but not limited to, the following surgical services:

• Ear, Nose and Throat
• General Surgery
• Gynecology
• Ophthalmology
• Orthopedics
• Plastics
• Podiatry
• Urology

The staff of registered nurses and surgical technicians works very closely with the physicians in the medical community to offer the highest possible quality care. In 2009, they handled 5,321 cases.

On-call staff is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to handle any medical emergency that may arise.

Have you been looking for free but qualified information about managing, treating and living with hip pain? We’ve got something just for you!

Hughston Hospital in Columbus, Georgia is presenting a Hip Pain Seminar on Friday, May 21 at 10:30 a.m. in the first-floor classrooms.

To register or for more information about this free seminar:

• Go Online: Online registration at Columbus Regional
• Call: (706) 660-6545

Space is limited; please register no later than Wednesday, May 19.

At the April 16 check presentation at Cooper Creek were, from left, Larry Sanders (Columbus Regional chairman and CEO), Dr. Andrew Pippas (medical director of the John B. Amos Cancer Center), Helen Johnson (group vice president of Community Development, Columbus Bank and Trust Company), and Tom Titus (Columbus Regional senior vice president). In the background is Henry Swift (Steering and Tennis Committees member and chair of External Sales).

The Columbus Regional Medical Foundation’s 2010 Celebrity Classic raised a record-breaking $315,000 this year.

This tremendous outpouring of community support benefits the John B. Amos Cancer Center.

The Celebrity Classic featured cycling, tennis,  golf and running events during the weekend of April 16–19, as well as biking events on May 2.

Supported once again by a dedicated group of corporate sponsors, individual donors and volunteers, this year’s classic included:

• 150 tennis players
• 700 runners
• 250 golfers representing a long list of sponsors
• 168 cyclists

Synovus Financial Corp. was the Celebrity Classic’s presenting sponsor.

The Events

• Tennis: An adult tennis clinic and tournament was held at Cooper Creek Park on Friday, May 16, and a junior tennis clinic was held on Saturday, May 17. Peter Burwash International supplied tennis pros from all over the world.

• Running: A 5K/10K run was held at the National Infantry Museum on Saturday, May 17.

• Golf: A junior golf clinic was held at Godwin Creek Golf Course on Sunday, May 18, and a golf tournament was held at Green Island Country Clubon Monday, May 19.

• Cycling: The Wheels to Heal biking event was held on Sunday, May 2.

This year, former Wimbledon champion Stan Smith was featured at the tennis event, and golf trick shot artist Kevin Compare—also known as Divot the Clown—was featured at the golf tournament and junior golf clinic.