Pikeville Medical Center News

Widowmaker Survivor: PMC brings patient through heart attack

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 20:02:38 GMT

Medical Leader | DEBRA ROLEN

PLENTY TO SMILE ABOUT: Glenna Thompson self-diagnosed symptoms she was having as those of a gall bladder attack. Thompson actually experienced a heart attack called a "widowmaker." She received life-saving treatment at PMC.

PIKEVILLE - Like so many women, a busy schedule kept Glenna Thompson from taking symptoms seriously and getting medical attention.

Thompson had always enjoyed good health, a fast-paced lifestyle, drove a church bus, taught Sunday school and Bible study classes, led a prison ministry and attended every scheduled worship service.

That activity was in addition to all the activity involved in taking care of family and friends. There was no room for being sick on her list of things to do.

One of the most interesting weekends of her life began on a Friday She and her husband enjoyed spending time with their son and daughter-in-law at their new farm in Lexington.

Over the past few weeks, she had been experiencing nausea, pain in both hands and arms, and pain in her side occasionally. She had attributed them to bouts of the flu or a virus and thought it kept coming back. When she began having these symptoms after dinner Saturday night, she thought it was time to check out her symptoms. Thompson used her iPad to visit medical websites and came to what she thought was the most logical diagnosis, a gall bladder attack. She took some aspirin, felt better and went to sleep.

On Sunday before heading home, the Thompsons went by the University of Kentucky Medical Center to visit a friend in the hospital there. Once they arrived; however, she didn't feel like going inside.

"I told my husband I didn't feel well and I would just wait in the car. About five minutes after he went inside, I had to throw up. Once the nausea subsided, I felt better, relieved," she said. "I thought about what would be better for everyone-but me. I decided I would go to the doctor and prayed for God's help. I called my husband and asked him if he could hurry up, that I was sick. I also told him I wanted to go home and to the emergency room, but the call dropped and he didn't hear the emergency room part."

The Thompsons drove home to Pikeville where she packed a bag "just in case." They arrived at PMC's Emergency Room at around 3 p.m.

"God is so good to me. I expected to see a room full of people waiting, but nobody was there. I was called in right away. I informed the staff there I had checked the internet and I was having a gall bladder attack. Then I told them that on the way home, I had started experiencing mild chest pains. When I mentioned the chest pains, within 10 minutes, things were happening all around me. The guy working with me told me what was going to happen next. He said I was having a heart attack, Dr. Bill Harris was on his way, the team was already waiting for me, and I was being prepared and taken for a heart catheterization. I joked that they could take me anywhere they wanted, but the problem was my gall bladder. He told me firmly I was having a heart attack and that they didn't get that excited about a gall bladder attack."

The heat catherization was done through her wrist. After her surgery, she was told she had survived what was known as a "widowmaker." A stent was placed in her main artery, which had been 99.8 percent blocked.

"I have another son who is a cardiologist in Dayton, OH. He picked up his brother in Lexington and came straight to the hospital. He was really impressed and pleased with Pikeville Medical Center and the treatment I received there, but was not pleased that I had not called him to talk about my symptoms," she giggled.

Thompson is completing cardiac rehabilitation sessions three times a week and says she is learning a lot. "I have always done everything at a fast pace. Brigetta, Maggie and Joan have been so patient and are teaching me to slow down. There are classes about stress management, sodium in food choices, and exercise that is best for you."

Thompson says she never missed a beat after her heart attack. She had the stent done on Sunday, was released to go home on Tuesday, attended church Wednesday night, walked up two flights of stairs on Sunday to teach Sunday school and then went to the jail for her ministry on Monday, and to Cedar Creek for a Bible study on Tuesday, doing all the things in her regular routine.

She does say she has learned a lot from this experience.

"Until my heart attack, I had no idea I would ever be a heart patient. I know people who are heart patients and either I wasn't told, or didn't listen to the stories about the wonderful facilities and resources right here in my little home town. Now I know why the Lord allowed me to ride from Lexington to Pikeville to have my heart attack. "

When asked about what she wished she had known before she was diagnosed with heart disease, Thompson said she wanted everyone to leave symptom diagnosis to professionals.

"I needed to know not to Google my symptoms and be deceived into a self diagnosis. I truly had no idea what was going on," she said, "I can also say that when you do need medical attention, our home town hospital has everything one needs for complete treatment. From the ER to Cardiac Rehab, it has been a great experience. Thank you PMC."

Floyd County man grateful for PMC

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 19:57:06 GMT

PIKEVILLE - Floyd County resident William Leslie "Les" Mullins traveled the world during his 25 years of service with the U.S. Army.

But he's thankful that he was home in eastern Kentucky on Dec. 18, 2011, when he had a heart attack.

Mullins, who will turn 55 years old on Feb. 21, was at home when he experienced an uncomfortable feeling in his chest. Two weeks prior, he underwent surgery on an ankle, and he thought the chest discomfort was nothing out of the ordinary.

"I thought I was just having indigestion from the pain medication and the steroids," he said. "After about an hour ...it still hadn't gone away, but I still felt that it was just indigestion because there was no elephant on my chest, there were no lightning bolts going out my left arm. My blood pressure seemed to be fairly normal, you know, just using the home instruments."

Ignoring the problem didn't work. A few minutes later, he experienced a sharp pain between his shoulder blades.

That's when he realized it wasn't indigestion. He and his wife drove to an emergency room at a hospital located about 10 minutes away from their home in Ligon in Floyd County.

Upon arrival, Mullins was in the middle of a myocardial infarction, or heart attack.

"When we got to the emergency room and the doctor did the EKG, you could see the look in his eyes," Mullins said. "That's when I asked him, 'I guess I'm up the creek without a paddle, ain't I?' and he said, 'No, you have a paddle.'"

The physician gave Mullins and his wife Betty the choice of several hospitals for him to be transferred to. They chose PMC.

"I didn't realize that I was in the middle of having my MI," Mullins said. "They sent a chopper for me and five minutes later, we landed here on top of PMC. Downstairs I came, and the cath lab was waiting."

Two medical technicians prepped him for emergency surgery.

"Then stepped in Dr. [Thomas] Helton. He spoke a few words to me and immediately went to work," Mullins said. "Because of me being right in the middle of the MI and me getting in there on that cath table and Dr. Helton doing what he did, he saved muscle damage to my heart."

According to the Cleveland Clinic Center for Continuing Education, acute myocardial infarction, or MI, is a "leading cause" of death worldwide. An MI occurs when a diminished blood supply to the heart exceeds a critical threshold and overwhelms the mechanisms in the heart that are designed to help it operate normally. If the diminished blood supply lasts for an extended period of time, it causes irreversible cell damage to the heart and/or death.

Dr. Helton saved Mullins' heart and his life with PCI, or percutaneous coronary intervention, a heart catheterization procedure in which he used a catheter to place two stents, or permanent devices that open up clogged arteries and prevent damage of blocked arteries, into Mullins' heart.

Mullins was awake during the procedure, which required only local anesthesia, or numbing medicine, on his thigh, where the doctor entered the artery during the catheterization.

"I was able to watch the whole procedure," Mullins said. "It was the oddest thing I've ever experienced. I watched every bit of it."

"He found two arteries in my heart that were 100 percent blocked," Mullins said, explaining that he felt only slight discomfort during the procedure. "The minute he pulled that catheter back, it was just gone. There was not a pain, not a pressure, nothing," Mullins said. "The second he pulled that catheter back, the pain was instantaneously gone. It amazed me."

The procedure to unblock those arteries took less time than it took Mullins' wife to drive from Floyd County to PMC.

Mullins made sure that he established a long-term doctor-patient relationship with Dr. Helton before the procedure was even finished.

"I asked him on the table, 'Would you like to be my cardiologist until they pat one of us on the face with a shovel?'" Mullins said. "He's like, 'Well, sure.' I made sure of that before I even got off that cath table."

He bragged on the care he received while hospitalized.

"Those ladies up there they treated me like I was - well, you would have thought Prince Philip [Duke of Edinburgh] had came in here. He and I did, we had ours [heart attacks] about the same time, except he was in London and I was in Pikeville. But I bet you he never got the care I got."

"I just wasn't used to that level of caring," he said. "That's the way you should say it, too, 'caring.' It wasn't just care. You can get care at any hospital, but those ladies and gentleman up there, they absolutely cared about me. They made me feel like I was somebody-They just displayed a genuine care."

Mullins and his wife were also thankful for the care that nurses shared with the entire family, particularly when his 10-year-old grandson who came to visit and wanted to understand what was happening.

"They educated him. They took the time," Mullins said. "They went and they found colored pamphlets that had graphics with it and words that he could read that explained what they had done to his paw-paw. He was like, 'Hey that's alright. I know what's going on now.'"

Mullins had been treated for high blood pressure and high cholesterol a year prior to the heart attack and his family is genetically predisposed to heart problems, but he "never suspected a thing."

He encourages people who experience heart attack symptoms to seek help.

"Throw your vanity aside and go to the emergency room," he said. "Seek professional medical attention right away because it makes a difference. That first hour is so critical, so critical."

That's why he and his wife are so thankful to have quality cardiac care close to home.

The couple is anxiously awaiting the opening of PMC's Veterans and First Responders Trauma Center. The facility was dedicated to the "Guardians of Life & Liberty" following a huge parade on Veterans Day 2011. PMC is currently undergoing the trauma center certification process.

"If you want the best care for your heart, come to Pikeville Medical Center's Heart Institute. As a matter of fact, if you need anything done, come to PMC," he said.

Mullins is currently enrolled in PMC's Cardiac Rehab program, through which he will receive 36 exercise sessions, counseling and education to help him understand his heart condition and better manage it.

(EDITOR'S NOTE: This is an e-mail that Floyd County resident William Leslie "Les" Mullins sent to Pikeville Medical Center President and CEO Walter May after he was treated for a heart attack at the hospital.)

On Dec. 18, 2011, I was in the emergency room at [a Floyd County hospital] having a heart attack. I was offered choices for cardiac care, and I am glad I chose PMC.

After a quick helicopter ride, I was taken into the Cath Lab where Dr. [Thomas] Helton and his team did an outstanding job of explaining what was happening to me and proceeded to fix me.

I have been in hospitals around the world - everything from the University of Ulm in Germany to Walter Reed in DC. Nothing compares to the care I received at PMC.

I was treated like royalty from minute one to my discharge a few days later. Your nursing staff on the third and sixth floors are the epitome of professionalism.

I was cared for by a wonderful group of men and women who never once made me feel like "just another patient." I know some will say that is their job, but the care I received was genuine, compassionate, and above and beyond what one would expect. For that I will always be grateful. Please recognize their important part of my healing.

I consider myself fortunate that I now have Dr. Helton as my cardiologist for life and also knowing that if I ever need care for my heart, PMC stands ready to provide the best care available. I will always be grateful for the care I received and please accept the heartfelt gratitude of my family.

William Leslie Mullins

Facts you need to know...

An acute myocardial infarction (MI), or heart attack, causes different symptoms for every patient. The degree of symptoms can range from have no symptoms at all to having sudden cardiac death.

The Cleveland Clinic Center for Continuing Education provides these symptoms of MI.
Chest pain described as a pressure sensation, fullness or squeezing in the midportion of the thorax
Radiation of chest pain into the jaw or teeth, shoulder, arm, and/or back
shortness of breath
discomfort in the upper abdomen with or without nausea and vomiting
sweating
Syncope or near syncope (fainting, dizziness) without other cause
Impairment of cognitive function without other cause

Source: Cleveland Clinic Center for Continuing Education document located online at bit.ly/heartattackcare

NEW AFFILIATION

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:47:14 GMT

Pikeville Medical Center President and Chief Executive Officer Walter E. May shakes hands with Danny Elswick, president of Buchanan General Hospital's board of directors, after an agreement was signed recently for the two facilities to enter into an affiliation that will enable BGH patients to receive additional cardiac services. PMC cardiologists Dr. Jose Velazquez and Dr. Denzil Harris, along with PMC Heart Institute Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner Wilma Deel, will be treating patients from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, in suite 205 of BGH's Professional Office Building located on Slate Creek in Grundy.

Radiology services earn accreditation

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:45:39 GMT

PIKEVILLE - Pikeville Medical Center is committed to providing the best possible care for its patients.

PMC's radiology services - Nuclear Medicine, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Computed Tomography (CT), Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and Mammography - have received three-year accreditation from the American College of Radiology, recognized as the gold standard in diagnostic imaging.

PMC Radiology Manager Joni Fields said qualifications required to be accredited include image quality, equipment performance, safety standards for staff and patients, quality assurance and quality control program, as well as personnel qualifications for physicians and technologists.

"Our employees and physicians are dedicated to seeing that our patients are given the best care possible," Fields said. "Our department takes pride in assuring that everyone that walks through our doors receives the same equal care and commitment from our staff."

Here are the qualifications for each service accreditation:

Nuclear Medicine and PET Accreditation Program involves the acquisition of clinical and phantom images and corresponding data for each unit. The acquisition of the phantom images involves the use of a designated single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) phantom. Accreditation in nuclear medicine is unit based. Every unit used to produce diagnostic clinical images for patients must successfully pass accreditation testing for the facility to be accredited.

MRI Accreditation Program evaluates the qualifications of personnel, the quality control program, safety policies and image quality specific to MRI. It involves the acquisition of clinical and phantom images and corresponding data for each unit.

CT Accreditation Program involves the acquisition of clinical and phantom images, dose measurements, and the submission of scanning protocols. Every unit used to produce diagnostic clinical images for patients must successfully pass accreditation testing for the facility to be accredited.

Mammography Accreditation Program provides facilities with peer review and constructive feedback on staff qualifications, equipment, quality control (QC), quality assurance, image quality, and radiation dose.

ACR has accredited more than 20,000 facilities, including more than 10,000 practices in 10 different imaging modalities since 1987.

"Having these accreditations validates the organizations commitment to quality and safety and is a testament to the efforts our staff makes every day to ensure our patients have the best possible experience," PMC Assistant Vice President Tim Martin said.

HEART-TO-HEART: Couple share special bond

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:43:12 GMT

Medical Leader | Carol Casebolt

PIKEVILLE - Kaminski and Jo Nell Robinson have been married for 55 years.

"He didn't think he was going to get me," laughed Jo Nell, "He joined the service and was gone for four years. We didn't correspond or have any contact, but when he came back, we were both still available."

The Robinsons married soon after his return and have been together ever since.

Heart problems they suffered during 2011 threatened to tear that life apart.

In Florida, Jo Nell was beginning to take water aerobic classes. She noticed she was a little short of breath and had to rest several times.

She told the instructor, who said she should get it checked out.

Once back in Pikeville, she continued the water aerobic exercise. But she felt the same shortness of breath she had before. The Pikeville instructor also told her to get it checked out.

On her way to play bridge soon after, she stopped by to let her family doctor check her heart. He told her she was going for a stress test. "I told him I was on my way to play bridge and I couldn't go for a stress test." His concern and firmness won out and she went for the test, which she says she "failed miserably."

Jo Nell said she had always been very health conscious, had been a weight loss counselor, and was very active in terms of exercise and physical fitness. "I had never had any problems before. I had never had any kind of surgery. I always dreaded the thought of cancer. I thought I could take care of my heart, but needed to do all I could to avoid cancer. I never dreamed I would ever have a problem with my heart."

Dr. Bill Harris performed emergency surgery that very afternoon. She had 85-95 percent blockage. Another surgery was planned to insert a stent, but before that surgery could be performed, her situation became more complicated.

The next morning, Jo Nell suffered a stroke. "Everyone at PMC acted fast," she said, "I believe that's why I didn't have any problems after the stroke. When Dr. Gutti checked me, he said he couldn't tell I even had a stroke."

She had the surgery to insert the other stent and later suffered an aneurysm. Even with the complications, the problems were little more than a bump in the road to the vivacious woman, who enthusiastically participates in the cardiac rehabilitation program.

"PMC has the best cardiac rehabilitation program in the country," she said proudly, "I feel great today. I've even lost 10 pounds since May. I still go to rehab twice a week and I can walk on a treadmill at three miles per hour for 60 minutes steady and I also go to the YMCA a couple of times a week. Today my blood pressure is perfect: 120 over 80, with no medication."

When asked about advice she would offer women, she said, "Women need to take care of themselves. They need to pay attention to symptoms like being short of breath, fatigue, experiencing pain in their jaws and be checked out. Don't take chances with your life."

Jo Nell's husband Kaminski had a different experience. He began his story by saying he didn't know he had a problem.

"At first, I noticed that when I walked to my car, which I always parked as far away as I could so I could get plenty of exercise, I was getting acid reflux or heartburn and felt out of breath. Since my appointment with my family doctor was coming up, I decided to mention it to him when I went. He said that was a sign of angina that needed to be checked out."

That conversation took place on Monday. At 6:45 a.m. Tuesday morning, Kaminski was at the hospital for a stress test. "I thought I had passed it. I stayed on it as long as they wanted me to stay on, but when I got off, they said I was not getting enough blood to the back of my heart."

That outcome indicated a heart catheterization was necessary. That test revealed five blockages of more than 90 percent.

That afternoon, Dr. Dennis Havens performed the surgery.

"It just happened so fast and was so miraculous. I can't thank God enough. He is the great physician and he worked through Doctors Haven and Harris to save both of us. I was home in three days. I had no pain before and none after. I stayed off work for six weeks. I started the cardiac rehabilitation program the week before I came back to work and I have been doing it ever since. I can tell it's helping me to get my strength back. "

As a chaplain, Kaminski loves to visit with the patients. "It's altogether different for me now. When I saw someone sitting around holding the heart pillow they give you after surgery, I didn't quite understand. I realize now, after my surgery, that heart pillow was my best friend. It's different being on the inside looking out rather than on the outside looking in. I am grateful. I know a lot of prayers were being said on my behalf."

Kaminski is currently doing cardiac rehabilitation. "The doctor said I didn't have a choice. I'm glad I'm in it. In 9 or 10 visits, I can tell it's making a difference. I would recommend it to anyone. It's a great program and I'm looking forward to continuing it."

According to Cardiac Rehabilitation Coordinator Brigetta Collins, research completed by the American Heart Association shows patients who are exercise trained in cardiac rehabilitation programs are 26 percent less likely to suffer from cardiac death.

"There is no guarantee you won't experience another cardiac event, but you are less likely to," said Collins. "And, if you do have another, you will know the signs and symptoms to watch for. If you feel fatigue, shortness of breath, or gastric pain, you know you need to get it checked out. If you have had a cardiac event, the cardiologist, surgeon, or your family doctor can refer you to cardiac rehabilitation and we will do all the paperwork for you."

For more information, call 606-218-4925.

PMC cardiologist reviews heart disease, risk factors

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:40:56 GMT

Changing or eliminating bad habits may have a positive impact on the six major risks for heart disease.

Pikeville Medical Center Interventional Cardiologist Dr. Thomas Helton spoke at Wellness Wednesday about risk factors and symptoms of heart disease.

According to Dr. Helton, smoking is not only a major risk for heart disease, it is also the most preventable cause of death in the nation. One of five preventable deaths is directly attributable to smoking. Anyone who smokes should give serious consideration to quitting. There are many resources available that a doctor can suggest, and the Pike County Health Department offers smoking cessation classes and provides nicotine patches at no charge. Once a smoker quits, the risk for heart disease tapers off within five years.

Obesity is another major risk for heart disease and many other conditions. Obesity is defined as having a high amount of extra body fat. The most useful measure of overweight and obesity is body mass index (BMI). BMI is based on height and weight and is used for adults, children, and teens. Family doctors can recommend healthy diets, Weight Watchers has a great program, and Dr. Amy Johnson and the team at Pikeville Medical Weight Loss Center are available to help with bariatric surgery options.

Diabetes is a major risk equivalent to coronary artery disease, and is treated aggressively. In a heart event situation, diabetes may present unusual or different symptoms. Anyone diabetic needs to have any pain or feeling out of the ordinary evaluated by a physician.

High blood pressure is defined as a blood pressure of more than 140 over 90, or in some cases 130 over 80.Stress is a common problem in today's world that can also have a negative impact. Sodium may affect blood pressure in a negative way. No more than 2000 mg. of sodium should be consumed each day. In addition to limiting salt intake, a heart-healthy diet and exercise may bring blood pressure down and reduce stress. Medication can be also be prescribed

High cholesterol is a major risk that may also be impacted by diet and exercise. Know your numbers: total cholesterol should be less than 200, good cholesterol or LDL should be less than 100, and triglycerides less than 150-ideally 100.

For those familiar with the internet, input these numbers into the Framingham Risk Calculator (framinghamheartstudy.org) to evaluate the risk of having a heart event in the next 10 years.

Inactivity is another major risk that can be modified. Walking 30 minutes a day, five days a week is recommended. To lose weight, double the minutes walked to 60.

Dr. Helton also went over the warning signs for a cardiac event: pressure, aching or pain in the chest, heartburn or acid reflux, nausea, cold sweat, shortness of breath, weakness, fatigue, jaw pain (usually in women), and arm pain.

"If you experience any of these symptoms, or a combination of them, call 9-1-1. Time is muscle. Don't try to 'wait it out' or explain it away. Let the professionals sort it out," Helton said.

In an emergency situation, call 9-1-1. If you want to make an appointment, call 606-432-8011, but in some cases insurance companies require referral from a family doctor.

If you have had a cardiac event and would like information on cardiac rehabilitation, call 606-218-4925.

FELLOW:PMC surgeon earns top honor

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:38:25 GMT

FELLOW: Pikeville Medical Center's Dr. Timothy P. Wright, D.O., FACOS is shown receiving his award from the American College of Osteopathic Surgery. The designation of Fellow is conferred in recognition of education, advocacy, leadership, and development of professional and personal relationships.

UPIKE graduated its first class of doctors from the School of Osteopathic Medicine in 2001, including a local surgeon honored by the American College of Osteopathic Surgery.

After graduation, Dr. Timothy Wright completed his internship at Pikeville Medical Center. After a move to complete his residency at Ohio University/Grandview Medical Center in Dayton, Ohio, Wright returned to Pikeville to begin his career with PMC and serve an important role in the community.

Recently Wright joined an elite group of surgeons who have been recognized as a Fellow by the American College of Osteopathic Surgery, an honor earned through education, advocacy, leadership, and development of professional and personal relationships.

"The designation sets you above your peers who are also board certified. It is the highest I can go. I am at the end of my academic rope," said Dr. Wright.

Dr. Wright has been Board Certified in General Surgery since 2006. He is also involved in educating others, serving as an adjunct professor and clinical director of surgery at UPIKE, where he also coordinates and teaches surgical curriculum to the 2nd year class.

Dr. William T. Betz, Professor of Family Medicine Chair, Department of Family Medicine, Senior Associate Dean for Osteopathic Education at UPIKE commented, "We are very proud of Dr. Wright for his achievements in both medicine and education. He exemplifies the mission of the medical school. He completed his education here, went away only to complete his residency before coming back to the area not only to live and work, but to contribute to the training and education of others from the area."

Participating in an outreach effort supporting the Coalition Of Children In Need Association, Dr. Wright attends Caney Creek Freewill Baptist Church. He and a local pediatric dentist joined others from the Allen Baptist and Allen Freewill Baptist churches traveling to Haiti on a humanitarian trip before the earthquake.

Wright visited Ouanaminthe, Haiti, which he describes as a densely populated area much like a refugee camp that borders the Dominican Republic. According to Wright, the city's tallest building is two stories high and it is very rural, undeveloped, lacking in agriculture and has little manufacturing.

"I saw mostly women and children while I was there and did many biopsies and hernia repairs. I don't know what the outcomes were after I left, but I hope that many of their lives were improved by my work. I am planning on going on a mission in 2013 to Zimbabwe, Africa. Because the political situation is so chaotic, missions have not been possible. This one is being planned with the Marrowbone Missionary Baptist Church and I will be going if at all possible," he said.

Wright also gives back to the community by participating in various screenings PMC conducts, as well as others like Remote Area Medical, an organization that comes into communities to provide medical screenings for those unable to afford them.

Dr. Wright's office is located at 255 Church St., Suite 201, Pikeville. To schedule an appointment, call 606-218-6300.

Blanc earns degree

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:36:39 GMT

PIKEVILLE - Teresa Blanc DNP, APRN, graduated from the University of Missouri in December 2011.

She joins other health practitioners who are not physicians or dentists who are using the title "Doctor."

Blanc joined Pikeville Medical Center in January 2010, happy for the opportunity to move closer to her family in Blowing Rock, N.C. Blanc had lived in Kansas City, Miss. for 30 years. During that time, she says she felt like a professional student.

"I got my master's degree and certification as a Family Nurse Practitioner from the University of Kansas. I worked in a family practice setting for five years before going on to get my postmaster's certification from Wichita State University as an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner. I worked in the emergency department of a rural hospital in Missouri until coming to Pikeville Medical Center. I began working on my Doctor of Nursing Practitioner degree in 2009," said Blanc, "I was able to move to Pikeville and complete the program on-line."

A final clinical research project was required to complete her doctorate. Blanc completed a study on weight loss at UPIKE, where participants were given information and weight-loss plans. An average 8.5 pounds were lost by each participant, which was in line with other projects of the same type.

Blanc encourages other nurses to complete a graduate program, "Whether it's a master's or a doctorate program, an advanced degree may improve the ability to care for patients. It may also open doors to opportunities that would otherwise not be available."

The demands on mid-level providers are changing and becoming more complex. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) says transitioning advance practice registered nursing programs from graduate level to doctoral level is a response to changes in health care delivery and emerging health care needs, additional knowledge or content areas have been identified by practicing nurses. Also, the knowledge required to provide nursing leadership is so complex and rapidly changing that additional or doctoral level education is needed.

Nurse practitioners have been providing health care for more than 45 years, and the number practicing with collaborating physicians as of 2011 was 140,000, with that number growing by about 9,000 every year.

As the programs have evolved, a clinically focused, rather than research focused, doctorate degree is being proposed as the required entry level for practice beginning in 2015.

NATION'S ELITE: PMC among best high-performing hospitals

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:14:24 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Pikeville Medical Center (PMC) is among the nation's Best Regional Hospitals 2011-12, according to U.S. News & World Report, publisher of Best Hospitals. U.S. News annually publishes the Best Hospitals rankings in July. At the midpoint of the 2011-12 year, its editors have now recognized 247 hospitals outside major metropolitan areas, including Pikeville Medical Center, as Best Regional Hospitals.

"This award from U.S. News & World Report is another example of the national reputation we have earned for excellence," said Walter E. May, President and CEO of PMC. "We set out to become a regional referral center, and with nearly 2,000 patients transferred to us from other hospitals last year, we have achieved that goal. Every day more hospitals and physicians realize that the best next step for their patients who need specialized treatment, is to come to Pikeville Medical Center."

Hospitals like Pikeville Medical Center offer a high level of medical care to communities that otherwise might have limited options, says Avery Comarow, U.S. News Health Rankings Editor. "All Best Regional Hospitals are what we call 'high performers' in at least one medical specialty," says Comarow. "They are fully capable of providing first-rate care, even to most patients who have serious conditions or need demanding procedures."

U.S. News annually evaluates nearly 5,000 hospitals in 16 different medical specialties. Hard numbers stand behind its analysis in most specialties-death rates, patient safety, procedure volume, and other objective data. Physicians' responses to a national survey, in which specialists are asked to name hospitals they consider best in their specialty for the toughest cases, also are factored in.

PMC garners Hospital of Choice Award

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:08:12 GMT

PIKEVILLE - Walter E. May, President and CEO of Pikeville Medical Center (PMC), announced today that the hospital has once again won a Hospital of Choice Award.

Pikeville Medical Center is ranked in the Top 10 of the more than 400 hospitals nationwide that were considered, and is the only Kentucky hospital to receive this recognition.

The award recognizes America's most customer-friendly hospitals.

Other hospitals receiving the award at this time include the Mayo Clinic, University of California Davis Medical Center, George Washington University Hospital, Johns Hopkins Hospital and Vanderbilt University Hospital.

The Hospital of Choice Award requires a review of six principal areas of consideration, including Standards of Conduct, Performance Management and Improvement, Staff Development and Training, Systems of Communication, Good Citizenship, and Educational and Promotional Material available to consumers.

"I have always believed that the people of our region deserve health care that is 'better than,' not just 'as good as' health care available at large metropolitan hospitals," said May.

"As Pikeville Medical Center continues to be recognized alongside hospitals like Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins, we see that vision becoming a reality."

PMC's mission is to provide quality regional health care in a Christian environment, and the organization's strong commitment to customer service is a factor in unprecedented growth.

Dr. J: 'PMC right hospital for trauma care'

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:06:35 GMT

PIKEVILLE - Trauma experienced on the battlefield is often responsible for better weapons, technology, and medical advances.

Pikeville Medical Center physician Dr. Danny Jazarevic, has 26 years of experience and over 10,000 major operations to his credit.

His career began in the United States Army and continued in the Florida National Guard.

He served in Honduras, Africa, Saudi Arabia, Bosnia, Iraq, and from December 2002 through January 2006, was assigned to the U.S. Army Hospital in Landstuhl, Germany.

Landstuhl is the largest U. S. facility outside the U.S. He deployed to Iraq numerous times, including with the 101st Airborne Division Forward Surgical Team and was Director of Operations for the 44th U.S. Army Medical Command. He served as a full Colonel in the U. S. Army Reserve and has been awarded the Bronze Star Medal.

He is currently employed by PMC as a trauma, vascular, and general surgeon.

Dr. Jazarevic, also known as "Dr. J," defined trauma, discussed the incidence of injuries and the associated costs.

According to Dr. J: "it is all about getting the right patient to the right hospital in the right amount of time."

"At Pikeville Medical Center, the best is all they will do, they go all out to do it right," said Dr. J. "It [PMC] is the only hospital I have ever worked with that gets the best of everything for patient care. When I propose buying something, Mr. May will look at the options and say to buy the best one."

The list of injuries associated with trauma include: falls, bicycle, car or motorcycle crashes, assaults, sports injuries, gunshot wounds, stabbings, mass casualties, pedestrians struck by vehicles, farm injuries by equipment, chemicals, and animals, human bites and ATV accidents.

Rural areas have inherent problems that result in a higher rate of injury: road conditions, lack of education, poverty, not using or misuse of safety devices, lower seat belt usage.

One in five are injured yearly.

Of those, 50 percent require medical attention, 3.6 million require hospitalization, nine million cause some disability, and 300,000 result in permanent disability.

Injury is the leading cause of death for people ages 1-44, but disability exceeds the death rate.

Injuries cost over $300 billion annually. The costs are for lost wages, medical care, and disability payments.

Trauma centers impact those numbers in a very positive way because significant resources are immediately available, with multiple modality and unified and coordinated management, and they have been certified as meeting national standards for trauma care.

Other positive numbers are those for outcomes when treatment is provided in trauma centers vs. non-trauma centers.

Preventable deaths are 9 percent, appropriate operations provided are 89 percent and hemorrhagic deaths are only 7 percent of those treated in non-trauma centers.

Dr. J ended his talk with photos of his daughter Gabriella and her dog.

In one photo, she was younger and had a small puppy by her side.

The next photo showed an older girl and a dog weighing over 150 pounds.

"It takes time for things to grow," he said," It takes 2-3 years to grow a trauma center. The trauma center at PMC has taken time, but we have already seen more than 100 patients and I am sure we have saved lives. I believe we will save many lives."

School teacher grateful PMC saved his life

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:04:21 GMT

PIKEVILLE - Pikeville Medical Center was the choice for a 49-year-old facing death from heart disease.

Dale Hamilton, a physical education teacher and coach at McDowell Elementary, had completed a day of work at the school and walked two miles for exercise before heading home on April 18, 2011. He had already had two episodes, two weeks apart, of what he describes as an "ache" in his chest, heartburn, and pain in his arm. This time was different.

Once he got home, he had dinner, watched some television, and fell asleep. He woke up and felt really bad, experiencing the same symptoms as before, but worse.

He knew he had to do something. He walked to his sister's house and she took him to the nearest hospital for treatment, St. Joseph's at Martin.

He was kept overnight for observation was told the next morning he wold need to be transferred to another facility to have a heart catheterization. He was given a choice between the University of Kentucky hospital in Lexington, King's Daughters in Ashland, and Pikeville Medical Center.

"Pikeville Medical Center was my choice," said Hamilton, "I had heard and read so many good things about Pikeville Medical Center, I knew it would be the best place to go. It was close to home too. Going through something like this, I needed support. It makes all the difference in the world to have the support of friends and family. It keeps your spirits up and keeps you going. That is only possible close to home. I had my girlfriend, sister and two friends there for the surgery and when I came out, I had 88 messages from the kids at school. That meant the world to me."

Dr. Bill Harris, with Interventional Cardiology/Internal Medicine/Cardiovascular Disease, performed the heart catheterization on April 19.

Cardiothoracic Surgeon Dr. Thomas Donohue performed open-heart surgery on April 22, with five by-passes. Hamilton said his surgery was followed by three nights in the intensive care unit.

"Those guys were excellent. They are from here, they know the language. They listened to me whine and complain. They were there to help me when I needed it. They were absolutely great-outstanding," he said.

After his release from the hospital on April 29, Hamilton went through 36 sessions of cardiac rehabilitation and plans to complete additional sessions this spring.

"I wrote Mr. Walter May a letter to tell him about how great my experience at PMC had been. Those people in cardic rehab are like coaches. They watch you close, but they won't let you slack up," said Hamilton.

Although he had never been sick or in the hospital, Hamilton says he paid attention to his symptoms because his father died at 51 from heart disease.

"My dad had his heart attack at 38. The last 13 years of his life were miserable. At one point, heart transplant was considered, but with 80% of his heart damaged, it was not a possibility."

At this point, Hamilton says he feels great and that he is doing his best to eat heart healthy, exercise, and get his weight under control.

"It's difficult to pass up Big Macs, hot dogs, nachos and cheese when you love to eat things like that, but I am doing my best. I don't eat near as many hamburgers and I haven't been eating any chips. I haven't had any heartburn since the surgery either. Every now and then I break over and eat what I want," he laughed then turned serious, "I asked the doctor to give me an idea of life expectancy after what I went through. He told me it could be 10 minutes or 40 years, you just never know."

When asked what comes next, Hamilton says he plans to go back to his job as a teacher in the fall - if that is possible. If so, he will teach for another two years and then retire.

"When I retire, I'm going to travel with the Kentucky Wildcats. I'm going to St. Louis or Atlanta or wherever if they make it this year," he said proudly.

BEST PLACE TO WORK: PMC among Kentucky's elite

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 22:36:22 GMT

Pikeville Medical Center (PMC) was recently named one of the Best Places to Work in Kentucky 2012.

This is the fifth year PMC has been honored with this esteemed award.

The awards program was created in 2005 and is a project of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, Kentucky SHRM Council and Best Companies Group.

"Our employees go above and beyond the call of duty every day," said Juanita Deskins, Chief Operating Officer of PMC. "This award further validates their commitment to our patients to provide quality regional health care in a Christian environment."

This statewide survey and awards program was designed to identify, recognize and honor the best places of employment in Kentucky.

The Best Places to Work in Kentucky 2012 list is made up of 65 companies.

Assistant Vice President of Human Resources at PMC and Chairman of the hospital's Employer of Choice Team, Melissa Coleman said, "Our employees are the reason PMC continues to be recognized as one of the Best Places to Work in Kentucky. It is through their dedication and teamwork that we continue to excel and are proudly able to accept this prestigious distinction."

To be considered for participation, companies must fulfill the following eligibility requirements:

have at least 25 employees working in Kentucky;

be a for-profit or not-for-profit business or government entity;

be a publicly or privately held business;

have a facility in the state of Kentucky; and

be in business a minimum of 1 year.

Companies from across the state entered the two-part process to determine the Best Places to Work in Kentucky.

The first part consisted of an evaluation of workplace policies, practices and demographics.

This evaluation was worth approximately 25 percent of the total score.

The second part consisted of an employee survey to measure the employee experience.

This evaluation was worth approximately 75 percent of the total score.

The combined scores determined the top companies and their final rankings. Best Companies Group managed the overall registration and survey process in Kentucky and also analyzed the data to determine the final rankings.

PMC will be recognized and honored at the Best Places to Work in Kentucky 8th Annual Awards Dinner on Thursday, April 19 at the Galt House in downtown Louisville.

The final rankings will be announced at the event.

Regional referral center: More patients receive care closer to home

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 22:33:18 GMT

600 PERCENT INCREASE: Since Pikeville Medical Center opened its Intake Department in 2003, the number of patients transferring into the hospital for more specialized care has increased from 294 to 1,779.

PIKEVILLE - Registered nurses overseeing Pikeville Medical Center's Intake Department have witnessed a 600 percent increase in the number of patients transferring into the hospital in the past eight years.

That means that patients who once were flown or transported via ambulance out of eastern Kentucky and surrounding states are now staying closer to home to receive the care they need.

Registered Nurse Teresa Mullins has been the director of patient registration at PMC since 1998, and she developed the hospital's Intake Department in 2003.

Prior to upgrading PMC's method of intake, doctors from other hospitals would call the emergency room when they needed to transfer a patient who required a higher level of care.

WHEN TIME MATTERS: Pikeville Medical Center had 1,779 patients transferred from other hospitals in 2011

That changed in 2003, when Mullins attended a national conference and visited hospitals serving large metropolitan areas in Kentucky and Florida to learn how to implement a more efficient intake system.

That year, 294 patients transferred to PMC from other hospitals. The number of transferred patients nearly doubled in 2004, and it continued to increase every year.

In 2011, 1,779 patients were transferred from other hospitals to PMC, Mullins reported.

Writers capture 16 awards

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 22:30:06 GMT

LEXINGTON - The Medical Leader's editorial staff earned 16 awards, including a third-place in General Excellence during the 2011 Kentucky Press Association awards banquet held at the Embassy Suites on Jan. 20.

The General Excellence award was the first ever earned by the staff and the 16 overall honors were the most for any single staff.

Staff writers Mary Meadows and Teddy Paynter each captured one first-place award for their work.
Meadows took first place for best picture essay of the Middle Creek Battlefield re-enactment. Judges said, "We loved the variety of images and action in this story."

Paynter took first place honors for best sports story, Pikeville College winning the school's first national championship in basketball. Judges said, "Well-reported." He also took third place in the same division on Belfry's state championship football run.

Meadows garnered second place honors for best on-going/extended coverage story and best feature story.

She also earned third place for best spot news coverage and best feature story.

Meadows received honorable mention for best feature picture and best spot news coverage.

Paynter earned a certificate of merit in the division for best sports column. He also took second place honors for best editorial page, best sports picture essay and best headline. In addition to his third place finish for best sports story, he also received a third place honor along with Heath Thompson for best front page.

Paynter received honorable mention for best sports feature story, best lifestyle page and best sports column.

Important NEW Announcement from Pikeville Medical Center

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 14:36:14 GMT

Pikeville Medical Center has now signed a Medicaid contract with Coventry. This means we have contracts with all three providers, Coventry, Wellcare and Kentucky Spirit.

There is no reason for any Medicaid patient to change coverage to ensure uninterrupted Medicaid care from Pikeville Medical Center, our physician offices and other Outpatient services.

Pikeville Medical Center
National Hospital of the Year

National Cervical Cancer Awareness Month

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 16:43:58 GMT

'It's not worth risking your life': PMC encourages cervical cancer screenings

SMILING DAY: Cervical cancer survivor Sarah George is pictured with photos of her grandchildren at her office in Pikeville.

Pikeville Medical Center reminds the public that January is National Cervical Cancer Awareness month.

Education and early detection can save lives.

More than 90 percent of cervical cancer cases can be prevented through regular screenings and the anti-cancer human papilloma virus vaccine available today. State health facts show that about one in five Kentucky women 18 and older haven't had a pap smear in the last three years and fewer than one in nine eligible have received the full three-shot vaccine series.

Nationwide, an estimated 12,710 women contracted cervical cancer in 2011; and 4,290 women died of the disease. (From the National Cancer Institute.) In addition, the University of Kentucky College of Public Health reports that from 2002-2006, the state incidence rate for cervical cancer was 9.44 per 100,000 (ranked 5th highest in the U.S.); rural counties' incidence rate was 10.4 and the Appalachian regions rate was 11.09. These numbers mean that hundreds of women in this region develop cervical cancer every year.

Pikeville Medical Center pursues excellence in womens' health and was recently recognized by U.S. News and World Report as a Best Regional Hospital in Gynecology. In addition, PMC was named one of "America's Best Hospitals for Patient Experience" by WomenCertified. Treatment at the hospital may have saved the life of a woman diagnosed with cervical cancer more than 30 years ago.

In the spring of 1982, 32-year-old Sara George had a 9-year-old son, had just remarried, and had no immediate plans for more children. She visited her family doctor for what seemed like a minor problem.

"It's important to have a family doctor, or a gynecologist that you see consistently," said George, "Having a history makes it easy for the doctor to compare results from one visit to another and know when something is changing or a problem is developing."

She said her doctor thought she might have had endometriosis and performed a pap smear. The next week she was told the pap smear came back normal, but since she was still experiencing some symptoms, her doctor referred her to a gynecologist for further testing. The gynecologist's tests didn't reveal any serious problems, but another pap smear was obtained.

"When your doctor calls you at 7:30 in the morning at home, it can't be good news," George said, "He told me to come to his office that day for a biopsy."

The biopsy was sent to a lab and the results indicated cervical cancer, but it was detected early enough that a minor surgical procedure, could cure the disease. George's gynecologist performed a conization, or cone biopsy. In this procedure, a cone-shaped segment of deeper layers of cells from the cervix is taken and tested. In this case, the test was the cure. No further treatment was necessary.

Two years later, George became pregnant with twins. While she was pregnant, her experience with cervical cancer was brought back to mind. Back in 1982, she met a woman her age having the same test on the same day. Both women had sons the same age. Their test results, however, were different.

For the other woman, additional treatment was indicated. Her doctor recommended a hysterectomy. She refused the surgery and George attended the woman's funeral in the spring of 1985.

"I don't know what the reasons for refusing the surgery were. I don't know if she wanted to have more children or was afraid to have the surgery. What I would say to women is when it comes to your health, be diligent. Have pap smears and mammograms every year. Be sensible and do what the doctor recommends. It's not worth risking your life to take a chance, even if you do want more children. The most important thing is to take it seriously. I didn't have any pain or any symptoms that caused me to worry, but what was wrong with me was serious," said George.

Don't become another statistic. Take your health seriously and make an appointment for a screening by calling 218-6119 or 437-7356.

Have you taken the oath? PMC stresses Early Heart Attack Care

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 21:23:29 GMT

PIKEVILLE -- Nearly 3,000 Pikeville Medical Center employees are taking the oath this month, and medical specialists at the hospital are asking the public to rise to the challenge.

The EHAC (Early Heart Attack Care) oath encourages people to learn the subtle danger signs of a heart attack and act on them before damage occurs. It's a program offered nationally by the Society of Chest Pain Centers that focuses on prevention of heart attacks by educating the public to recognize early warning signs.

In taking the oath, people pledge to understand that heart attack warning signs may occur hours or even weeks before the actual heart attack occurs. The oath-takers 'solemnly swear' to call 9-1-1 if someone they know experiences early warning symptoms.

At PMC, if someone experiences signs and symptoms of a heart attack, employees are trained to activate the hospital's Rapid Response Team.

The effort comes as part of a continuing education program that all employees, volunteers and contract staff, even those who don't work directly with patients, are required to complete.

Employees were asked to watch an educational presentation about EHAC and were tested on their knowledge of the heart, concepts of early heart attack care, barriers to early heart attack care and how to respond to signs and symptoms of a heart attack.

Registered Nurse Tanya Pelphrey Slone, a Cardiac Accreditation/Outcomes Specialist at the PMC Heart Institute, developed the web-based educational program for employees.

"We've asked all employees to become ambassadors for EHAC, or Early Heart Attack Care," Slone said, explaining that up to half of all heart attack patients report experiencing early warning signs hours, days or weeks before their heart attack occurred.

"We want everybody in the hospital and the community to be prepared, not just health care workers," Slone said. "If they see a hospital patient, a fellow employee, a visitor or somebody who presents at valet services with symptoms of a heart attack, we want employees in those areas to know what to do. We want to provide the highest quality of chest pain care to people of our region."

The American Heart Association reports that heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. and it's also a major cause of disability. A person experiences a coronary event every 25 seconds in this country, and one person dies of a heart attack nearly every minute.

As a top-ranked Chest Pain Center, PMC works to quickly diagnose and treat patients with cardiac problems.

"We're also educating employees about what to do when people are reluctant to seek treatment for early heart attack warning signs," Slone said. "People can very easily rationalize it away saying that they are just tired, that it's just heartburn or that they will just lay down and feel better later. A lot of times, they can miss that very critical early warning sign."

Slone explained that if a person seeks treatment at the earliest sign of a heart attack, treatment can actually prevent a heart attack from occurring. The Society of Chest Pain Centers report that 85 percent of the heart damage caused during a heart attack takes place within the first two hours.

Dr. Raymond D. Bahr, the physician who initiated the EHAC through the Society of Chest Pain Centers, described the program as a "common sense movement" that educates the public and works to change behaviors and attitudes about heart attacks.

"It teaches that heart attacks can be prevented," he told the Society of Chest Pain Centers.

Slone and other PMC heart care specialists encourage community members to also educate themselves about early heart attack symptoms.

They should also become EHAC ambassadors and take the EHAC oath, she said.

"It's important for members of the community to recognize the signs and symptoms of a heart attack because the early care giver could be you, your spouse, your children, your parent, your co-worker, your exercise partner, anybody," Slone said. "In a heart attack, time is of the essence because time is muscle. It's important to call 911 and seek help immediately."

PMC was one of the first 10 hospitals in America and the first hospital in Kentucky that earned accreditation from the Society of Chest Pain Centers as a Level 3 Chest Pain Center with PCI (percutaneous coronary intervention). The accreditation came after a detailed review and on-site survey to determine that PMC meets the society's criteria for accreditation.

In 2011, PMC celebrated its affiliation with the Cleveland Clinic, a top-rated cardiac care provider in the U.S. The affiliation enables PMC surgeons to provide more advanced treatment of open heart surgery, bypass grafts, laser revascularization, implantable defibrillators, valve repair, aneurysm repair and other procedures.

For more information, visit pikevillehospital.org or call 606-218-3500.

More information about EHAC is also available online at scpcp.org/ehac.

Hearth health facts:

The heart is about the size of a fist and weighs about 7.12 ounces. It pumps approximately 1,800 gallons of blood and beats more than 100,000 times a day.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. and a major cause of disability.
In 2010, an estimated 785,000 Americans had a coronary attack and about 470,000 Americans had a recurrent attack.
One American will have a coronary event about every 25 minutes.
About every minute, one American dies because of a heart attack.
85 percent of heart damage takes place in the first two hours after a heart attack.
Heart disease kills more women than men in the U.S. each year.
Women have atypical symptoms such as fatigue, jaw pain and nausea.

Who is at Risk?

Major Risk Factors of Cardiovascular disease that can be changed:

Tobacco use, smoking and Second-hand smoke exposure
Increased lipid levels (cholesterol, triglycerides)
High blood pressure
Sedentary lifestyle, physical inactivity
Overweight, obesity
Metabolic syndrome

Major Risk Factors of Cardiovascular disease that can't be changed:

Age (women >65 years; men >55 years)
Being male gender
Family history of cardiovascular disease
Race/Ethnicity

Other associated factors:

Stress
Alcohol use
Social support
Depression

Presentations of a Heart Attack

Sudden, severe pain that stops you in your tracks.
Gradual increasing pain with damage occurring over a period of hours.
Very early presentation with mild symptoms over hours or days.
Early signs of a heart attack are present in up to half of heart attacks. Signs and symptoms can appear within 24 hours of the acute attack, but may begin days or weeks before.

Early Symptoms of a Heart Attack

chest pressure
chest ache
chest burning
chest fullness
chest discomfort
pain in the arm, shoulder, neck, back or jaw
weakness/unusual fatigue
clammy/sweating
nausea/indigestion
dizziness/nervousness
shortness of breath
feeling of doom

What to Ask and Look For

Do you have any chest discomfort?
Is it tightness, pressure, pain in the center of your chest?
Is the discomfort also in your arm, shoulder, neck or jaw?
Are you sick to your stomach?
Is the person sweaty or clammy?
What were you doing when the symptoms started?
Do the symptoms go away with rest?
Are you having any shortness of breath?

Listen to your Heart

Be aware of pressure, not necessarily pain, in your chest.
Be aware if it increases with activity and subsides with rest.
Don't try to rationalize it away. Be honest with yourself and others.
Don't go to your doctor's office or wait for an appointment. Act Immediately, Call 911!

Important NEW Announcement from Pikeville Medical Center

Wed, 21 Jan 2004 18:37:52 GMT

Pikeville Medical Center has now signed a Medicaid contract with Coventry. This means we have contracts with all three providers, Coventry, Wellcare and Kentucky Spirit.

There is no reason for any Medicaid patient to change coverage to ensure uninterrupted Medicaid care from Pikeville Medical Center, our physician offices and other Outpatient services.

Pikeville Medical Center
National Hospital of the Year

Surgery good for diabetics: PMC Weight Loss Center offers bariatric, skin removal procedures

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 20:53:11 GMT

Meet Dr. Johnson
Dr. Amy Olsen Johnson, bariatric surgeon, general surgeon Education:
B.S. from University of Oregon
M.D. from Wake Forest University School of Medicine
General surgery residency: Wake Forest University Medical Center Honors/Awards:
Air Force Commendation Medal, 2006
Army Commendation Medal, 2003
Army Achievement Medal, 2005
AOA, 1997 (Medical School)
Perz Scholarship, 1994 (Medical School)
Phi Beta Kappa, 1991
Mortar Board Junior Scholar, 1992
General Chemistry Award, 1991

Dr. Amy Olsen Johnson, director of Pikeville Medical's Weight Loss Surgery Center, followed her father's footsteps to the military and, there, she fell in love with the bariatric field.

She says she "sort of fell into it."

After receiving her medical degree from Wake Forest University School of Medicine in North Carolina, the U.S. Air Force veteran completed her residency as a surgeon at a military base in Ft. Bragg, North Carolina. She also spent several months in the Middle East during the Iraq War performing trauma surgeries and other operations on U.S. troops.

Prior to her service in Iraq, Dr. Johnson cared for bariatric patients at Ft. Bragg.

"I got to see that bariatric surgery was immediately benefiting these patients," she said. "I decided to pursue bariatrics and make it a niche for myself-.I've not looked back. I'm extremely glad I made that decision."

Local obesity rates

An adult who has a BMI between 25 and 29.9 is considered overweight.

An adult who has a BMI of 30 or higher is considered obese.

2008 Age-Adjusted Estimates of the Percentage of Adults Who Are Obese in Kentucky

In 2010, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that obesity rates in Kentucky and West Virginia were among the highest in the nation, with Kentucky's rate at 31.3 and West Virginia's rate at 32.5.

The CDC also reported that the percentage of adults who were obese in 2008 totaled 35.4 percent in Pike County, 35.7 percent in Floyd County, 30.2 percent in Letcher County, and 32.1 percent in Mingo County.

(Source: cdc.gov)

She loves to operate, but, most of all, she loves knowing that her surgical skills can change people's lives. To date, she has performed more than 1,200 bariatric surgeries.

"These folks who come in here are in need of something and they desire something. They are very unhappy and unhealthy," Dr. Johnson said. "A year goes by and they've lost 100 pounds and they are extremely satisfied. You see their relationships change. They become more secure in themselves and they start to live again. We get to witness that. It is about as much fun as you can have as a surgeon. You're treating more than just pain. You're treating an illness that has attacked every facet of their lives - their social lives, their health and well-being, their jobs, their very personal, intimate relationships, everything."

Dr. Johnson wants patients to know that bariatric surgeries aren't just about losing weight. They can "eliminate or very much improve" other medical problems affiliated with obesity such as diabetes, hypertension, coronary heart disease, sleep apnea and osteoarthritis. That's the main focus of her work at PMC.

"We are not here to make people skinny. We are here to make people healthy and allow them to live a healthy life," Dr. Johnson said.

A 2011 Stanford University study presented at the American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery conference last June found that bariatric surgery eliminated type 2 diabetes in some patients. A month later, the International Diabetes Federation issued a position statement, declaring that people with type 2 diabetes can "benefit substantially from bariatric surgery." (The article may be accessed online at http://bit.ly/diabetesbariatrics.)

Dr. Johnson encourages local physicians who are treating diabetic patients to consider utilizing bariatric services to improve their patients' health, and she urges diabetes patients to learn about the benefits of that type of bariatric surgery.

"We know that Type 2 diabetes can be controlled with medications, but it can be permanently gone with weight loss surgery," she said.

Dr. Johnson understands that bariatric surgery isn't for every person, but she says it can make a huge difference in the lives of many people. People who have a body mass index (or BMI) of 30 or more may be a candidate for bariatric surgery.

PMC's Weight Loss Surgery Center offers gastric bypass, gastric sleeve and gastric banding surgeries to patients. Dr. Johnson also provides revisional surgeries for bariatric patients who are not losing weight, have other problems associated with a prior surgery, or want to change from one type of bariatric operation to another. As a general surgeon, she can also perform surgeries to remove excess skin from people who have lost significant amounts of weight.

Bariatric surgeries generally take less than two hours. Patients spend approximately two days in the hospital and generally are able to return to work in two weeks.

Dr. Johnson expects her gastric bypass and gastric sleeve patients to lose about 19 pounds in the first couple of months, 75 pounds in six months and approximately 100 pounds in one year. It takes approximately three years for gastric band patients to lose 100 pounds, she said.

Dr. Johnson encourages people who are considering bariatric surgery or people who are curious about the procedure to attend her free weight loss seminars.

She and her staff attend every seminar and answer questions. The center also hosts bariatric support group meetings to help patients following surgery.

The next weight loss support group meeting will be held at 5 p.m. on Jan. 17 at the Orthopedic Center. The next free weight loss surgery seminar will follow that meeting at 6 p.m.

Details of PMC bariatric services, including educational videos about how each surgery is performed, are also available online at pikevillehospital.org/bariatric.

For more information, call 606-218-4811.