Appalachian Regional Healthcare System
Cardiology Center Provides Peace of Mind for Beverly Stahl
Beverly Stahl
(May 15, 2013) – Beverly Stahl, a Michigan native and a high country resident since 2001 has found peace in the compassionate and continual care provided by The Cardiology Center of Appalachian Regional Healthcare System (ARHS).
In 2006, Stahl was told that she needed to consult with an Electrophysiology Cardiologist, which was not available in the High Country at that time. Therefore, she drove off the mountain to get a pacemaker implanted. After the procedure, Stahl met Kim Denny, RN, a device clinical specialist in Boone that she now meets with regularly to get her pacemaker serviced.
“Kim is a very caring and knowledgeable person,” said Stahl. “Over time we have developed a comfortable relationship. When I ask her a question, it is like asking a friend.”
Kim Denny
Denny, who has been a nurse for 22 years and has specialized in cardiology for 16 years, shared that “Beverly is a pleasure to work with; we have known each other for years. She feels like family.”
The Cardiology Center of ARHS is the only device provider in the High Country that has two registered nurse device clinic specialists. Other facilities utilize a variety of device representatives to service their patients’ devices. A local device clinician provides consistency for the patient and expertise with regards to the specific device.
In 2012, Stahl learned that she would need a new pacemaker. “When I heard that The Cardiology Center of ARHS had Dr. Hordes, I decided to have the procedure in Boone,” said Stahl.
Andrew Hordes, MD
“Dr. Hordes is very nice. He answers my questions and I would recommend him to anyone,” said Stahl. “I am thrilled to not have to leave the mountain anymore for my healthcare concerns. ARHS and The Cardiology Center has provided a lot of peace of mind (and heart) for me and my family.”
“I love giving patients good news,” shared Hordes. “This area has needed this service (defibrillator, pacemaker, and cardiac resynchronization therapy) for a long time.”
For more information about the Cardiology Center, call (828)-264-9664 or visit https://www.apprhs.org/cardiology-center.
The Rehabilitation Center Provides Hope for Doug Rhodes
Devastated by the prognosis, Rhodes found The Rehabilitation Center (TRC) at Appalachian Regional Healthcare System (ARHS), to be worth the drive up the mountain. The therapists that work with Rhodes specialize in neurological disorders like Parkinsons, stroke, head injury, balance and dizziness and other conditions.
“The staff at The Rehabilitation Center specialize in neurological disorders like mine,” said Rhodes. “Other facilities do not offer this kind of treatment.”
At first, Rhodes was overcome by fear, until he met Kelly Conrad, Physical Therapist (PT, DPT).
“Kelly took the fear out of Parkinson’s for me,” Rhodes said. “She was able to explain my symptoms, and give me the knowledge base to set the foundation for therapy.”
Rhodes had weekly physical therapy appointments with Conrad that focused on education and retaining movement such as walking and getting in and out of a car. For Doug, therapy also included working on his ability to mount a horse. Conrad refers to each new skill as adding to the tool kit that provides confidence and independence.
“In addition to the targeted exercise prescribed, a huge part of neurological physical therapy is the education piece,” said Conrad. “When the patient understands how their body and movement have changed, it takes the fear out of these disorders. When we can take steps to make life better, it is very rewarding for myself and the patient.”
The Rehabilitation Center team, located at The Wellness Center and at Cannon Memorial Hospital, offers a wide variety of comprehensive multidisciplinary services including neurologic physical therapy, orthopaedics, occupational therapy, speech and language pathology, women’s health, cancer rehabilitation, balance and dizziness, Lymphedema, geriatrics, pediatrics and chronic pain.
Michelle Forest, an Occupational Therapist who also works with Rhodes says, “It is wonderful to have a patient that is so excited about Occupational Therapy and makes sure to fit it into his busy schedule. It truly motivates me, as a therapist, to see such improvements in his quality of life.”
Occupational Therapy focused on the alignment of Rhodes’ fingers to assist him in playing the piano and holding onto the reigns when riding horses. Special splints were fabricated to assist with exercises that improve fine motor coordination and the strength in his hand.
The Rehabilitation Center has been able to meet Rhodes needs in every respect. He recently completed his physical therapy plan and has enrolled in the THRIVE program. THRIVE is a medically supervised exercise program at the Wellness Center that transitions participants from more acute phases of chronic disease management to wellness.
“Kelly was able to help me with her knowledge, time, encouragement and strategies. It has been about six years since my diagnosis and I’m still riding horses,” said Rhodes with a grin.
For more information about The Rehabilitation Center of ARHS, call (828) 268-9043 or visit www.apprhs.org/trc
Healthcare System Celebrates its volunteers during National Volunteer Week
Established in 1974, National Volunteer Week is focused on honoring those who provide extraordinary service through volunteerism. The week is endorsed by the President and Congress, governors, mayors, as well as corporate and community groups across the country.
In 2012, ARHS had 240 volunteers who served in 45 different job services for a total of 27,551 hours. A few of the volunteer services include, working in the activity garden, visiting patients, pastoral services, community outings, hospitality, gift shop and blood drives.
“I consider all of these amazing volunteers to be the real heart beat of our system,” said Sallie Woodring, ARHS Director of Volunteer Services and Career Pathways. “Every day they bring to our hospitals and affiliates within ARHS all of their many talents to share with our patients, staff and visitors.”
ARHS is hosting events at each hospital within the system to honor its dedicated volunteers. On Monday, April 22 Blowing Rock Hospital is providing an appreciation luncheon for its volunteers. Cannon Memorial Hospital is presenting a volunteer potluck on Thursday, April 25 and Watauga Medical Center is honoring its volunteers on Wednesday, May 8.
“They do what they do just to make a difference,” said Woodring. “Their gifts of time, talent and compassion cannot be measured monetarily but their impact can be seen and felt throughout our organization.”
For more information on volunteering at ARHS please contact Woodring at (828) 737-7538 or via email at swoodring@apprhs.org.
Smith Honored During Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses Week
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| June Smith, RN, CWOCN |
Moore Young Dietitian of the Year
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| Paul Moore |
Paul Moore, MS, RD, CSSD, LDN, CSCS*D, NSCA-CPT*D was awarded the Recognized Young Dietitian of the Year for the NCDA at its Annual Meeting on March 16-18, 2013 in Pinehurst, NC. This comes a year after Paul was awarded the Outstanding Dietitian of the Year, the state’s highest recognition for the NCDA, in 2012.
Each year, the NCDA recognizes the contributions of some of the most outstanding individuals in the field of nutrition and dietetics. Award categories include: Recognized Young Dietitian of the Year, Recognized Dietetic Technician of the Year, Outstanding Dietetics Student, Emerging Leader in Dietetics, Outstanding Dietetics Educator, and Outstanding Dietitian of the Year.
Paul is currently the assistant director for Appalachian Regional Healthcare System’s Wellness Center and an adjunct instructor in the College of Health Sciences at Appalachian State University.
The NCDA is a state affiliate for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, formerly the American Dietetic Association. The NCDA has approximately 2,000 members comprised of Registered Dietitians, dietetic technicians registered, students, and other professionals in the field of nutrition and dietetics.
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has more than 70,000 members and is the world’s largest organization of food and nutrition professionals. The Academy is committed to improving the nation’s health and advancing the profession of dietetics through research, education and advocacy.
To find more information about the North Carolina Dietetic Association, visit www.eatrightnc.org. For more information on the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, visit, www.eatright.org.
To learn more about the Paul H. Broyhill Wellness Center, visit www.apprhs.org/wellnesscenter or “like” the Wellness Center’s Facebook page.
Richard Sparks Honored for 35 Years of Service
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| Richard Sparks |
Appointing Sparks as the CEO “was one of the best decisions ever made for this organization,” shared Kenneth Wilcox, local businessman and member of the ARHS Board of Trustees. “Richard has guided us, brought the organization through difficult times, and envisioned what the needs were for this community.”
During Sparks tenure, services such as dialysis, oncology and cardiology have been brought to the High Country. Physicians at the top of their respective specialties have also established practices in the region to enhance the medical offerings for residents and visitors.
Dr. Herman Godwin, Jr., Chief Medical Officer for ARHS, presented Sparks with a commemorative 35 year service pin at a recent leadership meeting and quoted Vince Lombardi, “Leaders are made, they are not born. They are made by hard effort, which is the price which all of us must pay to achieve any goal that is worthwhile.”
Sparks received his undergraduate and his MBA from Appalachian State University (ASU). In 1994, he was appointed to the North Carolina Health Planning Commission Committee on Community Health Districts by Governor Hunt. He has served two terms on the policy committee and a 3-year term on the Board of Trustees for the North Carolina Hospital Association. He was also appointed to the Board of Trustees for the North Carolina School of Science and Math.
He received ASU’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 2001 and the University’s Outstanding Service Award in 2010. He is a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives and serves on the Advisory Councils for the John A. Walker College of Business and the College of Health Sciences at ASU.
“Richard has made decisions not on what would simply make money for the healthcare system, but based on what’s best for the community,” Wilcox continued.
Locally, Richard has served as Chair of the Watauga Chapter of the American Red Cross, President of the Boone Rotary Club, Chair of the March of Dimes Boone Walk, a member of the High Country United Way and as a trustee for the Grandfather Home for Children. In 2008, he received the Alfred Adams Leadership Award from the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce.
“One person doesn’t accomplish these things alone,” Sparks said. “It is a team effort and we have a great team at ARHS. We’ve accomplished a lot, but there is still a lot to do.”
Appalachian Regional Healthcare System, like Sparks, remains committed to promoting health in the High Country, enhancing quality of life and simply “making life better.” Plans are underway to enhance current services, offer new services and build a state-of-the-art post acute care facility in Blowing Rock.
Hospital Visitation Restrictions Requested
(January 16, 2013) - Appalachian Regional Healthcare System (ARHS) asks that anyone sick with the flu or flu-like symptoms voluntarily refrain from visiting hospitalized family and friends, as well as those persons at the hospital for an outpatient procedure. It is also important that during this time of increased flu cases in our area visitors 12 and under not visit hospitalized family and friends.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, flu activity is on the rise in the U.S. with 47 states reporting widespread illness. North Carolina is one of these states.
Appalachian Regional Healthcare System’s hospital emergency rooms, along with the physician offices and AppUrgent Care, have seen an increase in the number of people presenting with influenza-like illness. While everyone who presents is not tested for the flu, among those tested in the System’s facilities, more than 140 have tested positive since November 2012. Watauga Medical Center has admitted 17 patients due to the flu.
“Patients are very vulnerable while in the hospital, so we are appealing to those community members who may be ill with the flu, or exposed to the flu, to refrain from visiting in order to help us protect the patients in our facilities,” stated Dr. Herman Godwin, Chief Medical Officer for Appalachian Regional Healthcare System. “Our top priority is to take every appropriate precaution to keep our patients safe.”
Flu viruses spread mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing. Sometimes an individual may catch flu by touching an object infected with the virus and then touching the eyes, mouth, or nose. There are several things you can do to prevent catching or spreading the flu: Protect yourself, your family and your community
- Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
- Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
- If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve, not into your hands.
- If you get sick with flu, stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from making them sick.
- Get the recommended seasonal flu vaccine.
Symptoms
- Fever
- Cough
- Sore throat
- Body aches
- Chills
- Fatigue
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Headache
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
Most people recover from flu after about a week without lasting effects.
Seek emergency medical care if you or a family member has any of these symptoms:
- Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
- Sudden dizziness
- Confusion
- Severe or persistent vomiting
- Flu-like symptoms that improve, but then return with fever and worsening cough
- In babies, bluish or gray skin color, lack of responsiveness or extreme irritation
ARHS is working diligently to prevent the spread of flu and appreciates any assistance the public can provide. For more information about the flu, visit http://www.flu.gov/.
Grandfather Specialty Clinic Brings Cardiology Services to Avery County
The cardiology team will offer new, follow-up and EKG appointments, nurse follow-ups and pacemaker and defibrillator check-ups. If patient demand increases, the clinic hours will be extended.
“By offering cardiology services at the Grandfather Specialty Clinic, we hope reach more patients and reduce travel time for our existing patients,” shared Robert Johnston, Business Manager, The Cardiology Center of ARHS.
Located in the Sloop Medical Office Plaza in Linville, the Grandfather Specialty Clinic has offered Oncology services in Avery County for several years. Dr. Anna Sobol, oncologist with Seby B. Jones Regional Cancer Center in Boone, and her staff see patients on Tuesdays between 1 pm and 5 pm.
Johnston added, “Providing these services in Avery County should result in healthier individuals and enhanced quality of life.”
To learn more about The Cardiology Center of Appalachian Regional Healthcare System, please visit www.apprhs.org/cardiology-center or call 828-264-9664.
To learn more about Seby B. Jones Regional Cancer Center, visit www.apprhs.org/cancercenter or call 828-262-4342.
To schedule a Cardiology or Oncology appointment at the Grandfather Specialty Clinic, call the Boone Office at 828-264-9664.
Jefferson Specialty Clinic Provides Cardiology and Oncology Services to Ashe County
Appalachian Regional Healthcare System is pleased to announce the opening of the Jefferson Specialty Clinic in Ashe County. Located at 257 Medical Park Drive in Jefferson, the Clinic, which shares office space with Western Carolina Eye Associates, will offer cardiology and oncology services.
“Dr. Gray has been traveling to Ashe county to see oncology patients for the past few years,” shared Robert Johnston, Business Manager, ARHS Hospital Based Centers. “The Jefferson Specialty Clinic provides an avenue for offering new services to more patients and reduces the travel time for our existing oncology and cardiology patients.”
Providing cardiology services, cardiologist Dr. Peter Ashline and his staff will be available at the clinic on Tuesdays from 8 am until 12 pm. Starting mid-January 2013, they will be available on Tuesdays from 8 am until 5 pm.
Kim Denny, RN, the Clinic’s device director, has worked in the High Country for more than 10 years. Pam Greene, RN, has assisted Dr. Ashline for the past seven years.
The cardiology team will provide new, follow-up and EKG appointments, pacemaker and defibrillator clinics, and nurse follow-up appointments to check heart failure risk factors, blood pressure, weight and others as necessary.
Oncology services, provided by oncologist Dr. Flint Gray and a registered nurse from Seby B. Jones Regional Cancer Center, will be available at the clinic on Wednesdays from 9 am until 12 pm. The oncology team will provide new and follow-up appointments.
“We are excited to bring these services to Ashe County,” added Johnston. “Our hope is that by making the office visits, device check-ups and nursing care for cardiology and oncology patients more convenient, we help make life better.”
To learn more about The Cardiology Center of Appalachian Regional Healthcare System, visit www.apprhs.org/cardiology-center. To schedule a Cardiology appointment in the Jefferson Specialty Clinic, call (828) 264-9664.
To learn more about Seby B. Jones Regional Cancer Center, visit www.apprhs.org/cancercenter. To schedule an Oncology appointment call 828-262-4342.
Area Flu Cases Confirmed
Appalachian Regional Healthcare System (ARHS) has received reports of confirmed influenza cases in the region. ARHS is urging community members to get their flu vaccines if you have not done so already. The flu vaccine takes up to two weeks to reach full effectiveness, so the sooner you are vaccinated the better.
This flu season, ARHS has implemented the iCare campaign to increase the number of ARHS employees who receive their annual vaccine. Those employees unable to take the vaccine are required to wear a surgical mask when in a patient care area. The masks are not a sign that these employees have the influenza virus, but rather that they care about protecting those around them.
The flu virus spreads mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing. Sometimes people may catch the flu by touching something infected with the virus and then touching their mouth or nose.
There are several things you can do to prevent catching or spreading the flu:
- Protect yourself, your family and your community
- Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
- Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
- If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve, not your hands.
- If you get sick with flu, stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from making them sick.
- Get the recommended seasonal flu vaccine.
Symptoms
- Fever
- Cough
- Sore throat
- Body aches
- Chills
- Fatigue
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Headache
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
Most people recover after about a week without lasting effects.
Seek emergency medical care if you or a family member has any of these symptoms:
- Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
- Sudden onset of dizziness
- Confusion
- Severe or persistent vomiting
- Flu-like symptoms that improve, but then return with fever and worse cough
- In babies, bluish or gray skin color, lack of responsiveness or extreme irritation
ARHS is working diligently to prevent the spread of the flu and appreciates any assistance the public can provide. For more information about the flu, visit http://www.flu.gov/.