Hopkins - Baylor Health Care System

Meet the Lights of LifeGala co-chairspage 2Our food and nutrition servicesdepartment knows how to feed a crowdpage 3Memorial’s EMS team isready for all emergenciespage 7903.885.7671 l Fall 2012From Crisis Careto Healing Help,We’re HereMemorial’s outpatient rehab program gives patientsthe skills and confidence to return to living page 4Local Championsof Health CareFrom left:Lezley Brown,Danny Wilburn andKim Assunto-Sellers.

Meet OurGala Co-ChairsThis year marks the seventh annualLights of Life Gala, and Arvis and SheilaTanton are co-chairing the event.Arvis, owner of the Carriage HouseManor nursing home and the Cottagesat Carriage House, has been a memberof the Hopkins County Health CareFoundation’s Board of Directors for twoyears and is past president.“We got involved as donors severalyears ago and started going to the Gala,and we’ve always had a ball,” he says.“We got more and more involved andappreciative of what the Foundationdoes, and this year we were invited toco-chair the event.”Sheila and ArvisTanton areco-chairing theLights of Life Gala.The funds raised fromthis year’s Gala will purchasea patient monitoringsystem for the hospital’s ICU. The system,which monitors patients’ heart rhythmsand integrates into the ICU monitoringwhere a qualified EKG technician tracksthe data, will be installed in five patientrooms on the hospital’s second floor.With it in place, patients will be able toleave the ICU and stay in rooms wherethey can have visitors at any time andcan have family members stay overnight.The Gala’s theme is “VintageHollywood, Putting on the Ritz” andwill include a fine-dining experienceGet Your HopkinsCounty CommunityCalendarLast year, the HealthCare Foundationlaunched a calendarhonoring localentities such as thecourthouse, library, Chamber ofCommerce and Dairy Museum.Following its success, the 2013 calendaris now available, which focuseson noteworthy local events such asthe Lion’s Club Lighted Christmasparade and the World FamousHopkins County Stew contest.To purchase your copy, visitthe hospital’s volunteer gift shopor call the Foundation office at903.438.4799.Arvis and Sheila Tanton will lead this year’s efforts$175,000This year, the fundraising goal for theGala is an all-time high of $175,000.Lights of Life GalaWhen: Saturday, Jan. 26, 2013,6 p.m. to midnightWhere: Civic CenterTo purchase your tickets, pleasecall 903.438.4799.catered by Eddie Deen and dancing tothe music of Rotel and the Hot Tomatoes.Guests will bid on a range of live andsilent auction items.Hopkins County Memorial Hospital, 115 Airport Road, Sulphur Springs, TX 75482. Memorial Hospital Main Number: 903.885.7671. Memorial Hospital Physician Referral: 903.439.4062. Memorial Hospital VolunteerOpportunities: 903.439.4062. Educational Programs: 903.439.4149. Hopkins County Health Care Foundation: 903.438.4799. Visit hcmh.com or call 903.439.4062 for information about Hopkins County MemorialHospital services, upcoming events, physician referrals, career opportunities and more. Chief Executive Officer: Michael McAndrew. Chief Financial Officer/Chief Operating Officer: Donna Geiken Wallace. ChiefNursing Officer: Terri Bunch. Marketing/Managed Care and Volunteer Coordinator: Sherry Moore.Memorial Hospital Mission: Provide an exceptional patient experience through quality patient-centered care and a work environment that attracts and retains the best staff, physicians and volunteers. MemorialHospital Vision: To be the leader in Northeast Texas by offering high quality hospital and physician services that meet the health care needs of our region and that our patients will recommend to others.The material in Health@Memorial is not intended for diagnosing or prescribing. Consult your physician before under taking any form of medical treatment or adopting any exercise program or dietaryguidelines. Hopkins County Memorial Hospital is affiliated with but not controlled by Baylor Health Care System or its subsidiaries or community medical centers. Physicians are members of the medicalstaff at one of Baylor Health Care System’s subsidiary, community or affiliated medical centers and are neither employees nor agents of those medical centers, HopkinsCounty Memorial Hospital or Baylor Health Care System. Photographs may include models or actors and may not represent actual patients. Health@Memorial is publishedfour times a year by McMurry. © 2012 Baylor Health Care System. If you are receiving multiple copies, need to change your mailing address or do not wish to receivethis publication, please send your mailing label(s) and the updated information to Robin Vogel, Baylor Health Care System, 2001 Bryan St., Suite 750, Dallas, TX 75201,or email robinv@baylorhealth.edu.2 Health@Memorial • hcmh.com

Feeding a CrowdBreakfast, lunch and dinner with thefood and nutrition services departmentEvery day of the year,Debbie Darlin, HopkinsCounty Memorial Hospital’sfood and nutrition servicesdepartment manager,and her department’s 24employees prepare freshmeals for people with ahost of dietary needs.Specially Made“We cater to customersthat range throughout thelife cycle with a significantemphasis on the geriatricpopulation. We provide ahouse menu as well as therapeuticdiets such as cardiac,carbohydrate-controlledand renal diets. People withswallowing problems mayneed texture modificationsto assist with adequateintake,” she says.Patients on regular andtherapeutic diets have awide range of foods theycan choose from so they canget the nutrition they needto regain their strength.And for visitors andstaff, the team offers threeentrees, salads, a range ofvegetables and a selectionof desserts in the cafeteria.“We take great pride inoffering well-balanced mealsand rising up to meet the difficultchallenges we face inmeeting the likes and dislikesof our patients,” Darlin says.She notes that somepatients come into thehospital accustomed to atypical American diet, andtheir doctor places themon a 1,800-calorie diet or adiet designed to help withWhat Are Your Nutritional Needs?Talk to your doctor about creating a customized meal plan.For a physician referral, visit hcmh.com.10,000The number of fresh, delicious,nutritious meals prepared everymonth for patients, employeesand guests at Memorial.cardiac conditions or diabetes.“We have to explain whytheir doctor ordered thisdiet for them,” she adds.Handled with CareEvery employee in thedepartment has completeda food-handling course sothey have the knowledgeand skills to maintain highsanitation standards andensure the safety of thefood. “It’s a very importantpart of our department,”Darlin says.Help atHomeThe work of the food servicesdepartment doesn’tend inside the hospital’swalls. Kim Assunto-Sellers, a registered dietitian,works with peopleon an outpatient basisto improve their healththrough nutrition.“I see kids and adultswho are trying to loseweight or manage type1 or type 2 diabetes,”she says. She also sometimesworks with peoplewith food allergies orintolerances.Assunto-Sellers haspeople keep food andexercise journals, thenshe looks over theirhabits to find smallgoals they can attainand then build on.Memorial’s food and nutrition services staff includes, back row: Debbie Darlin, Ned Lindley, Brooke Lancaster, CarlWatson, Michele Shurbet, Ke’Shanna Hill, Janet Pennington, Becky Hodge, Kayla Miller, Cindy Allino, Kim Assunto-Sellers and Cristina Munoz. Bottom row: Zeb Clayton, Dece Bozeman, Summer Ball, Donna Wade and Katie Zapata.Salad: ©ThinkstockHealth@Memorial • hcmh.com 3

Fun with a PurposeHealthplex’s outdoor playground, funded by the HopkinsCounty Health Care Foundation, lets kids have fun while buildingskills. “We have different surfaces—grass and pine mulchand concrete—so when kids are walking, runningor playing kickball, it’s more challengingthan being in a room with four walls,” saysElsianne Horton, a physical therapist.The playground’s climbing opportunities help kids buildstrength and learn to sequence, and the playground also featuresseveral types of swings, a slide, a sandbox and a water play space.Kids with sensory issues benefit from learning how to concentratein an outdoor area with noise, wind and bright sunlight.“Most of our kids have coordination, balance or weaknessissues that don’t allow them to play on a regular playground.They can play here, and the success they have really buildstheir confidence,” Horton says.Speech TherapyLanguage, Swallowing,Feeding and More“People who are unfamiliar with speechtherapy think that patients come inhere to learn how totalk,” says Lezley Brown,speech therapist. “It’smuch more than that.”Healthplex hastwo full-time speechtherapists trained towork with an arrayof patients, includingthose with autism ordysphagia. Brown is alsocertified in VitalStim,an electrical stimulationsystem that can retrainfacial and swallowingmuscles.Speech therapists workwith people who have:• Articulation delays• Infant and childhoodfeeding difficulties• Swallowing dysfunction (dysphagia)• Language delays• Sensory issues• Stuttering• Stroke-related difficulties• Voice abnormalities“We see several adults with strokeor traumatic brain injury,” Brown says.“Many things can go wrong after a stroke.We may need to work with patients onswallowing, expressive language, receptivelanguage or all three. Writing andreading can also be affected.”With children, it’s important to keeptherapy fun. “We do a lot of play-basedtherapy with opportunities for languageenrichment,” she explains.“The childrenI work withbecome a partof me. I growwith them, hurtwith them, feelwith them whenthey are crying,and laugh withthem when theyare happy.”—Lezley Brown,Healthplex speechtherapistPhysical TherapyA Step ForwardPhysical therapy focuses on walking,balance and problems with the lowerextremities. “We have a physical therapistwho specializes in balanceor vestibular rehabilitation,and we havean indoor therapy poolwith a lift for people whocan’t get in or out independently,”Sant says.The resistance of thepool helps build strength.“The therapeutic pool isnice because it has a widevariety of depths so wecan work on sitting balance,standing balanceand body awareness,”says Elsianne Horton, aphysical therapist. “Somechildren can controltheir body in water evenif they can’t on land. It’ssuch a freeing experiencefor people who are wheelchair bound.”Healthplex also offers a light gait hoistsystem, which helps support patients’weight so they can use a treadmill, anda neuroprosthesis system, which useselectrical stimulation to help childrenbuild leg strength so they can walkwithout braces.Occupational TherapyDeveloping DailyLiving SkillsHealthplex’s two occupational therapistsspecialize in treating children and adults.Children may have a diagnosis ofautism, a developmental delay, a sensoryprocessing disorder or one of many othersuch conditions. These disorders canlead to difficulties with visual perceptualskills, bilateral coordination and motorskills, which can cause difficulty withdressing, feeding, handwriting and more.Activities that can help these childrendevelop specific skills include playing withshaving cream and finger paint, stringingbeads, stacking blocks or playing gamessuch as Ants in the Pants or Operation.Adults may need occupational therapyif they have shoulder, elbow, wrist orhand problems from arthritis, tendinitisor injury. Some adults also receive treatmentfor neurological problems such asstroke or head injury.Activities for adults include exercisesto build strength and range of motion.They may also work in a kitchen to cutapples and follow recipes, or they maywork to learn how to get dressed usingtools like reachers or sock-aids.“Our ultimate goal for all of ourpatients is independence. We want themto do whatever they are capable of,” saysMegan McCoy, occupational therapist.Rehab Close to HomeYour Care is Your ChoiceIf you have a doctor’s prescription for physical, occupational or speech therapy you canfill it wherever you like. “Some doctors may name a specific therapy company on theprescription, but you have the right to choose where you have therapy,” Sant explains.“We take all prescriptions, most insurance plans, Medicare and Medicaid.”Bucket and shovel toys: ©ThinkstockHealth@Memorial • hcmh.com 5

Playing to WinBaylor studies gaming technology as a tool for improving communication and patient careEvEryOnE knOWS that misunderstandingscan cause trouble. Butmiscommunication in a health caresetting can lead to serious risks.That’s why researchers at Baylor HealthCare System are joining forces withUniversity of Texas at Arlington and theUniversity of Texas at Dallas (UTD) tostudy how physicians and nurses can usevideo game-like simulators to improvecommunication skills.“Miscommunication can lead tofailure in the delivery of safe care, so it’sextremely important to innovate anddevelop more effective ways to help ourclinicians improve their communicationskills,” says Yan Xiao, PhD, directorof patient safety research at BaylorHealth Care System. He is co-leadingthe Baylor research team with SusanHouston, PhD, RN, FAAN, NEA-BC,director of nursing research at BaylorHealth Care System.Although it’s similar in theory toa video game, the learning tool useseven more sophisticated technologyto create a simulated health careenvironment. Nurses and physicianswill engage in scenarios they mightencounter on the job, role-playing inreal time to appreciate the perspectivesof others.Participants will control and interactwith physician and nurse avatars andmaster interdisciplinary, patient-centeredcommunication skills. During thetraining, participants take turns playingboth roles.“We think this perspective-sharingwill be instrumental in helping cliniciansGet in the GameThis study isn’t open to volunteers,but to learn about research trialsat Baylor seeking participants,visit BaylorHealth.com/advancingMedicine.understand the best way to communicateinterprofessionally,” says Louann Cole,MHA, a research analyst for Baylor’sInstitute for Health Care Research andImprovement.Part of the research has involvedin-depth interviews with physicians andnurses, as well as an exhaustive reviewof communication strategies. Thisinformation was synthesized by gamedevelopers at UTD.“Effective communication techniquesare embedded in the game,” Dr. Houstonexplains. “You get points for usingthose techniques when you’re put intoa patient situation.”The researchers hope the three-yearstudy, which is funded by a grant fromthe Agency for Healthcare Research andQuality, will demonstrate the value ofthe technology.“This is a fun and engaging way tolearn,” Dr. Xiao says, “and we hope itwill help physicians and nurses workbetter as a team to serve patients.”6 Health@Memorial • hcmh.com

Hopkins County Memorial Hospital115 Airport RoadSulphur Springs, TX 75482PRSRT STDUS POSTAGEPAIDBAYLOR HEALTHRyan Forster, M.D.PediatricianPediatrician, Dr. Ryan Forster has joinedour team of physicians at MemorialClinic. He received his medical degree atMichigan State University and completedhis pediatric residency at the Universityof Arizona.Dr. Forster specializes in the care ofchildren of all ages. He has specialinterests in asthma, allergies, childhoodfitness and adolescent medicine. Dr.Forster is fluent in both English andSpanish.Ryan Forster, M.D.Memorial Clinic Pediatrics105-III Medical PlazaSulphur Springs, TX 75482903.885.7052Dr. Forster is accepting new patients.Please contact his office at 903.885.7052 to make an appointment today.115 Airport Road, Sulphur Springs, TX 75482 ● www.hcmh.com ● 903.885.7671