Winter 2012 - Peninsula Regional Medical Center

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Exceptional Healthcare—What Our Patients Are Saying HEALTHFOCUS | Winter 2012 4 www.peninsula.org Gavin Stephens—Fast Response and Children’s National Affiliation Key In Care Gavin Stephens, center, at home in Salisbury, Maryland with parents Renee, back and Todd, right. With the family is cardiologist Steven Hearne, MD, left, who treated Gavin in PRMC’s Emergency/Trauma Center. As written by Renee Stephens Gavin Stephens is our 16-year-old son who had just returned from a High Adventure Boy Scout trip on July 8, 2011 and began complaining of discomfort when he took deep breaths. After taking him to his pediatrician and seeing that the initial x-rays were clear, it was thought to have been a possible pulled or inflamed chest muscle due to a recent injury. Because Gavin, a high school sophomore at James M. Bennett High School in Salisbury, is very active in a variety of sports, anything more serious was not a concern (Gavin plays three sports—football, wrestling & lacrosse and participated in an adult triathlon in May 2011). Over a two-week period, Gavin increasingly complained of chest pain, mostly at night, and on July 24th it became so severe we took him to the PRMC Emergency Department at 3:00 a.m. Once evaluated by the PRMC Emergency Department team (vitals and an echocardiogram were done), we were told Gavin had a large amount of fluid around his heart—a pericardial effusion, creating tremendous pressure on his heart. Cardiologist Steven Hearne, MD was called in to evaluate and confirmed Gavin’s condition. The fluid buildup was so severe that Dr. Hearne performed a pericardiocentesis in the Emergency Department to drain approximately 800cc’s of fluid from around the heart. Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, DC was notified and Gavin was immediately transported there, where he spent 6 days (3 days in ICU) for intensive testing and consults with medical specialists. A diagnosis was not found, and the cause was attributed to a virus. Gavin was HealthGrades, Inc. has ranked Peninsula Regional Medical Center the #1 Hospital in Maryland for Overall Cardiology Services in 2012. released with prescribed medications to keep the inflammation and fluid down, and further follow-up was scheduled. Gavin is fortunate that there was no permanent damage to his heart, or any other organs, thanks to the rapid response of Dr. Hearne and so many others. Gavin has experienced a few minor setbacks since July 24th (a fever and some reoccurrence of fluid), and we have found ourselves in the PRMC Emergency Department twice since. I was so pleased to see the ease at which PRMC staff was able to connect with Children’s National staff to communicate quickly to provide follow-up medical care. Gavin is recovering and continues to work with his pediatrician and Children’s National specialists to determine the possible cause. I am so grateful for the quick response of the PRMC Emergency Department staff and Dr. Hearne for stabilizing Gavin during this very serious situation. The recent affiliation of PRMC with Children’s National has been a tremendous asset for Gavin and our family, and the teamwork among the various physicians has been outstanding. As a parent, you never imagine a trip in the middle of the night to the Emergency Department can result in the need for such serious medical care. We never know when emergencies may happen, but we’re so thankful the talented people and processes were in place to respond when we needed it. Thank you PRMC and your Emergency Department team! “They Never Gave Up On Me”—Bruce Somers and an Exceptional PRMC Experience Some of the members of the PRMC ICU and Emergency/Trauma teams who cared for Bruce Somers join him and fiancé Tanna Johnson, center front, outside the PRMC Emergency/Trauma Center. Bruce Somers of Marion Station is a pretty fortunate guy. He was once described by Emergency Department physician Clark Willis, MD, as “the patient closest to death that I’ve ever treated who still made it through.” It was June 20, 2009; Bruce Somers’ worst day, but as fate would have it, maybe his luckiest too, because he landed in the arms of a talented PRMC trauma team that simply refused to let him go. “People and other doctors will ask us when we went to Shock Trauma and we tell them never,” said Tanna Johnson, Bruce’s fiancé. “Everyone is amazed because
HealthGrades, Inc. has named Peninsula Regional Medical Center one of America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Critical Care in 2012. PRMC was also awarded the HealthGrades Critical Care Excellence Award for the 4th consecutive year. of the severity of Bruce’s injuries, but we know there’s no way he would have received any better care on the other side of the bridge or anywhere else.” It was in Bishopville, Maryland a little over two years ago now when the driver of a large box truck ran a red light. In the middle of that intersection, as fate would have it, was Bruce Somers, who was driving a smaller truck delivering a load of crab pots. The crash was ugly…a t-bone impact. Bruce arrived at PRMC by helicopter where, based on the critical nature of his condition as relayed by the EMS crew, he was designated as a Red Code trauma patient—the category reserved for the most critically injured trauma patients. Given this designation, a trauma surgeon, three Emergency Department physicians, Emergency Department nursing and tech staff, lab, and respiratory personnel were all awaiting his arrival. When wheeled into the trauma bay, Bruce had multiple obvious and visible injuries and a nearly amputated left arm. While the team was stitching, stapling, and compressing, x-rays were obtained and Bruce was taken to the Emergency Department’s CT scanner for further evaluation of his internal injuries. While this evaluation was in progress, Bruce was getting unit after unit of blood and human plasma through a rapid infusion machine in an attempt to correct his prior and continued blood loss. Radiology tests confirmed what doctors feared. Bruce had a horrific array of trauma injuries in addition to those already known, including bleeding around and inside the brain in multiple areas, extensive facial fractures, fractures of his neck, upper and lower back with multiple fractures in each site. He had also suffered a lung contusion, bleeding inside his chest, 10 fractured ribs, bleeding in his abdomen including bleeding from his right kidney and liver, multiple pelvic fractures and a complex right hip socket fracture. Such an extensive and complex degree of injuries in one patient is sobering to even to a seasoned trauma team like the one at PRMC. With game faces on, they worked feverishly to save Bruce’s life, but privately there was the realization that he was facing a very difficult challenge; one that very few people in his condition survive. “It was touch and go for a long time,” said Tanna. “We’re just so glad that everyone was there and knew what to do.” Following this evaluation, a decision was made to take Bruce for immediate surgery in a further attempt to stop his internal bleeding. Amazingly, he was still alive, and now considered stable enough for transport to the operating room. In the OR, Bruce had Trauma Damage Control Surgery, where the goal is to stop and repair major bleeding only. This style of trauma surgery has an emphasis on limiting the time a patient spends on the table and under general anesthesia, with minor injuries to be corrected at a later time. Bruce was then taken to the ICU for further stabilization. Bruce continued to stabilize in the ICU and returned to the operating room multiple times in the following days and weeks for various corrective surgeries. Bruce’s care team grew to include specialists from Neurosurgery, Orthopaedic Surgery, Ophthalmology, Plastic Surgery and Rehab Medicine in addition to Anesthesia and the Trauma Surgeon who initiated his operating room journey. Bruce would spend 43 days in PRMC’s ICU before being transferred to Bryn Mawr Rehab in Pennsylvania, where he would spend an additional 10 weeks, ultimately awakening from his coma. Bruce then transitioned to home with family support for extensive home care and therapy despite his inability to walk at that time. After a tremendous amount of effort and hard work, he was able to walk unassisted only six months after his accident. “There’s no doubt in our minds whatsoever that the people at PRMC gave Bruce a second chance at life,” added Tanna. Today Bruce walks, laughs and converses with surprising ease. He has recovered much of his former function, although he’s limited to lifting no more than 20 pounds, and is currently working on getting his driver’s license back. “I’ve got an ‘05 Road King, a 730-pound Harley that I’m hoping to get converted to a trike so I can ride again,” said Bruce. “I can’t do everything I could before the accident, but I feel good and I can’t thank everybody enough.” Getting “Back” to Life Ralph Greene takes the first ride on his Harley Davidson motorcycle since endoscopic spine surgery at PRMC. Joining him outside the Peninsula Orthopaedic Associates, P.A. office in Salisbury is orthopaedic spine surgeon Scott McGovern, MD. Passion and dedication. 68-year-old Ralph Greene of Nanticoke, Maryland will tell you he has both. His golf game—at a 30 handicap—is equal parts dedication and frustration. His passion, however, is his Harley, which he’s ridden for 53 years and in all 50 states. (Story continues on page 6) 5HEALTHFOCUS | Winter 2012 www.peninsula.org
Page 1 and 2: A publication of Peninsula Regional
Page 3: Inside Cover Story 4/5/6 Exceptiona
Page 7 and 8: New Hope for Delmarva Stroke Patien
Page 9 and 10: 2012 HealthGrades Awards Distinguis
Page 11 and 12: PENINSULA REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER F
Page 13 and 14: Sanofi-Aventis University of Maryla
Page 15 and 16: Mr. & Mrs. Donald M. Ball Bank of A
Page 17 and 18: Peninsula Regional Medical Center F
Page 19 and 20: Community Calendar February - May 2

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