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CAMC Today is a publication of CAMC Health System

Pulmonary rehabilitation programs arehelping participants breathe easier… Page 2

CAMC has once again been recognized forachievements in quality and cost-effectivecare… Page 2

Clinical dietitians at CAMC are someof the only specialists in their field inthe state…. Page 3

THE CUTTING EDGE

Migraine sufferers now have newoptions for treatment… Page 4

Interactive baby simulators are being usedto teach important lessons in CAMC’schildbirth education classes… Page 4

Learn about a non-invasive treatmentfor angina… Page 4

Inside this issue

CAMC: Going beyond traditional health care Jan. 11, 2011

In addition to easy-to-understandinformation about all of CAMC’s services,individual departments at each hospitalare listed with visiting hours and printablemaps to each location. If the user has aloved one in the hospital, this feature willenable them to learn more about the uniton which they are a patient, and how tofind the way there. This information is alsolinked to driving directions, parking, giftshop and cafeteria information for eachhospital.

Because camc.org gets an average of 1.2million hits each month, it is important thatthe site be designed specifically for people

who use it. Several designs and navigationaloptions were tested by users, so that themost efficient and practical options werechosen.

Other features include: An updated physician directory,searchable by last name and specialty

Online pre-registration and bill pay

A calendar of events, searchable bydate, category and event title

Special pages for patients, visitors,physicians and employees, withpertinent information all in one place

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The Internet is becoming an increasinglypopular way to search for healthinformation, find a doctor and learn moreabout local hospitals. Research publishedin the Journal of the American Medical

Association shows that about 40 percent ofadults who have Internet access use it to findhealth-related information.

The new camc.org makes it easier to findinformation about services providedby CAMC and its CAMC Health Systemaffiliates, health conditions and physicians

who treat patients here. It has beenredesigned to be more user-friendly, and isconsidered a “smart site,” which means thatthe site searches itself to collect the mostimportant information related to the topicsthat are being browsed.

Much like Amazon.com and other consumer

sites, related content will be groupedtogether, making a “one-stop shop” for theinformation that people want to find.

For example, on the Cancer Services page,there is information about adult andpediatric inpatient and outpatient cancercare at CAMC, as well as up-to-date listingsfor support groups, clinical trials, educationopportunities, relevant CAMC news articlesand physicians who treat cancer patients atCAMC.

Driving directions to each hospitalaccessible through Google maps,

which allows the user to input ahome address to generatea personalized set ofdirections

The latest CAMCnews articles andpublications

Updated listings ofCAMC’s specialtiesand accreditations

The goal of this project was to make the siteeasier to navigate andmore user-friendly. Visitcamc.org to browse thenew site, and send us

feedback by clicking the“Contact Us” link.

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Discover the new camc.org

When most people think of hospitals,they think of doctors and nurses caringfor patients. When most people think ofCharleston Area Medical Center (CAMC),they think of nationally ranked quality,heart care that’s among the highest volumein the country and more than 60 years ofnationally-certified cancer services.

But CAMC is much more than that. CAMCprovides programs and services for mothers,newborns, grandparents, the homeless,children and youth in our schools, the

working poor and many more.

“These programs touch a number of livesbeyond the traditional health care we oftenthink of when we consider hospital care,”said David Ramsey, president and CEOof CAMC and its parent company, CAMCHealth System, Inc. “They are driven by ourmission: Striving to provide the best healthcare to every patient, every day.”

In 2009, CAMC provided $125,140,297 incommunity benefit. But when consideringhow much CAMC loses caring for people

with Medicare coverage ($67,963,877 in2009) and bad debt ($21,565,681 in 2009)from people who don’t pay their bills,CAMC’s contribution to the community tops$214 million.

“Despite the high cost, these services areprovided because they meet identifiedcommunity needs,” said Brenda Grant,chief strategy officer. “If we didn’t offerthese services, they probably would not beavailable in our area.”

“We give back to our community because we understand the impact that exceptionalmedical care, charity care, education,corporate contributions and communitypartnerships have on the lives of realpeople,” Ramsey added.

CAMC is a tertiary regional referral centerand teaching hospital with one of only twostate Level I Trauma Centers and the highestlevel Neonatal Intensive Care and PediatricIntensive Care units.

CAMC is the largest provider ofuncompensated care and the largestMedicaid provider in West Virginia. CAMC isalso the primary medical safety net providerof women’s, children’s and trauma services incentral and southern West Virginia.

CAMC does much more than just providehealth care; it is involved in nearly everyaspect of the lives and well being of thecommunity it serves.

“We invest our time, talents and bottom-lineto serve our community – particularly theneeds of the low income, elderly and other

vulnerable persons,” Ramsey said.

As the only major teaching hospital insouthern West Virginia, CAMC serves theuninsured and underinsured with highlyspecialized safety net services. For years,CAMC has trained physicians, nurses, nurseanesthetists and numerous other supportstaff as well as provided support for areauniversities and schools training health careprofessionals.

The community programs CAMC offers aregeared toward prevention, care, education

and research. They are all for a variety ofage-groups and situations. Just a few of theprograms are listed below:

Children and familiesCAMC teaches hunting safety, ATV and bikesafety, car seat safety and Think First forKids (focusing on the prevention of headand spinal injuries) among others. Forfamilies, CAMC offers sibling preparation,parenting and baby sign language classesand playgroups.

Patient care The CAMC Ryan White Program is theprimary outpatient care, education andsource of information for individuals in 16southern West Virginia counties who are at-risk or infected with HIV.

For the past 17 years, weekly blood pressureclinics have been offered at housing projects

in Charleston to give residents a regular timeto have their blood pressure checked. “Theresidents know when I come and say, ‘theblood pressure man is here,” said EdwardJ. Haver, MA, director of cardiac rehab.“Usually 10 to 15 people come down to gettheir blood pressure checked. I have sentmany back to their doctors for medicationchecks, to Health Right for medications andeven to the ER when their blood pressureis dangerously high.”

Above: The CAMC Patient Simulation Center

offers physicians, nurses, first responders and

others an opportunity for hands-on practice

before they are faced with “real” patients.

Above: Imagine U is a virtual

health care experience. CAMC

broadcasts selected surgeries,

narrated by a local physician,

via a web cast to introduce high

school students to careers in

health care using technology

that links health science

classrooms to the real world of

health care and hospitals.

Continued on Page 2

QJan2011Final.indd 1 12/30/10 11:10:21 AM

8/20/2019 Cam c Today 201101


Once patients have finished the 12-weekprogram, they can continue to exercisetwice a week as long as they’d like in themaintenance program.

Tera Winfree of Charleston has participatedin CAMC pulmonary rehab for about three

years. She has cystic fibrosis and received alung transplant in November 2009 at theCleveland Clinic.

“When I started in the programI had difficulty breathing, andit helped me. They offered goodinformation about easier ways todo activities that didn’t take asmuch oxygen,” she said.

Winfree rejoined the programafter her lung transplant and isnow in the maintenance stage.“I still work out twice a week atHeartFit,” she said. “I’m nowup to a brisk walk, and I’m alsoable to go biking and play tennisagain.

She said that pulmonaryrehabilitation has severalbenefits. “The therapists andnurses are there for you if you

have any questions, and they can alsokeep track of your oxygen saturations. Thecamaraderie of all the participants is great.It keeps people coming because they arealways there to boost you. That’s one of thereasons I’ve continued going.”

Pulmonary rehabilitation offers patients achance to reduce hospitalizations, increaseknowledge about pulmonary disease andits management, the ability to controland alleviate the symptoms of pulmonarydisease and the ability to carry out activitiesof daily living with less shortness of breath.

The CAMC pulmonary education andpulmonary rehabilitation programs requirea physician referral. For more informationabout both programs, call (304) 388-5569.

(*National Heart Lung Blood Institute Expert Panel

3, and Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung

Disease)

2 www.camc.org

Pulmonary education program The respiratory care department at CAMChas developed a new, comprehensive self-management service for patients with lungconditions. The pulmonary educationprogram (PEP) helps people learn strategiesfor better living with their lung conditions.

“This program will empower individuals tolead a fuller, more self-confident lifestyle. The one-on-one program includesteaching sessions with a registeredrespiratory therapist or registerednurse, using national evidence basedguidelines*. At these sessions you’llset personal goals, learn symptomsand definitions about your lungcondition, and have your questionsanswered,” said Len Picha, RRT, CPFT,CAMC pulmonary rehab. Other topicsin the PEP include self-assessmentskills, medication, inhaler and spacerlessons, breathing exercises and howto use a Better Breathing Plan for alung condition.

Scheduling is flexible based on each

individual’s needs and goals, and/ordoctor’s orders. Some may attend justone class for inhaler or spacer training, while others will meet once a weekfor about 45 minutes for up to six visits.Others may be interested in the pulmonaryrehabilitation program, which meets fortwo hours twice a week for approximately12 weeks.

“The PEP offers ways to improve quality oflife and everyday activities. Increasing yourknowledge about, and comfort level with,lung disease will help you control and easethe symptoms of your lung condition. As your knowledge and confidence grows, you will find yourself more and moreindependent. You may also notice adecrease in mental health symptoms, such

as anxiety or depression,” Picha said.

A major part of an individual’s self-management of a lung condition isrecognizing when help is needed and howto find it. Knowing where to go for helptakes initiative and requires evaluation ofone’s condition and capabilities.

Pulmonary rehabilitationCAMC’s pulmonary rehabilitation programis a combination of supervised exercisetherapy, lifestyle changes and educationin an outpatient setting to treat those withlung diseases such as chronic obstructivepulmonary disease (COPD), asthma,

emphysema, pulmonary fibrosis, asbestosis,sleep apnea and patients who have received,or are preparing for, a lung transplant.

The program is 10 to 12 weeks long andtakes place on Tuesdays and Thursdays fortwo hours each day. Classes consist of onehour of exercise training and one hour ofeducational and behavioral instruction.

As with the PEP, the main goals of thepulmonary rehabilitation program areto help patients improve their day-to-day lives, restore their ability to functionindependently, reduce and controlbreathing difficulties and symptoms,and maintain healthy behaviors such assmoking cessation, good nutrition andexercise.

The education sessions focus on trainingpatients to self-manage their pulmonarydiseases. The sessions also help the patientbegin permanent lifestyle changes byaddressing proper nutrition, medicationusage, stress management, relaxationtechniques, environmental factors andtriggers, medical testing and when tocall a doctor.

AARPDriving Classes

March 9 and 101 to 5 p.m.

Must attend both days for certificate.

AARP members $12/personNon-members $14/person

(Checks only. Make payable to AARP.)

Class size is limited.

Call (304) 345-9051 to register.

Pulmonary programs help patients with lung conditions Two options offered to meet patients’ needs

CAMC’s QUEST forquality saves lives

Going beyond traditional health careContinued from front

Outpatient mental health services fillthe gap for individuals who have healthinsurance that does not cover behavioralhealth services or individuals without healthinsurance.

Education An on demand closed-circuit TV systemoffers more than 100 educational videos forpatients and their families. The system alsoincludes a relaxation channel.

Rural outreach physician education providesprofessional education to physicians andhealth care providers in outlying areas.

CAMC provides a clinical setting andstaff instruction/supervision for areastudents enrolled in programs fornursing, health unit coordinator, imaging,surgery tech, physical therapy, medicalrecords coding and a host of other alliedhealth professionals enrolled in outsideeducational programs and scholarships.

The David Lee Cancer Center designed thenew patient chemotherapy class for patientsand their families who are about to beginchemotherapy based on feedback fromformer patients. Its purpose is to informpatients about chemotherapy and available

services.

Research The CAMC Health Education andResearch Institute, a sister companyto CAMC, is actively engagedin clinical trials and has activeresearch protocols in several fields.

The majority of this research isconducted at CAMC hospitals.

There are many more programs andservices offered by CAMC. For thecomplete community benefit report,

visit http://www.camc.org/documents/ AFS/2009CommunityBenefitReportWeb.pdf.

Published by CAMC

Marketing &Public AffairsElizabeth Pellegrin Editor

Dale Witte Jessica Duffield Editors/Writers

Tony Campbell Graphic Designer

Julia Noland Leslie Carpenter Ashley Showen Writers

For the second consecutive year, CAMChas been recognized for achieving topperformance standards in quality and cost-effective care in a voluntary, nationwidehospital performance improvement project.

CAMC’s focus on quality resulted in 548

lives saved in the two years of the projectand decreased its cost of care by morethan $300 per case, well below the topperformance threshold.

A three-year project, the Premier healthcarealliance QUEST ®: High-PerformingHospitals is comprised of 157 not-for-profithospitals across 35 states.

CAMC achieved top performance in thefollowing performance goals:

Safely reduce the cost of care for eachpatient’s hospitalization

Save lives by eliminating avoidablehospital mortalities

Deliver the most reliable and effective

care - every recommended evidence-based care measure to every patient,every time

“CAMC’s participation in this projectillustrates its significant dedication to thenever-ending goal of improving the qualityof care,” said Glenn Crotty Jr, MD, CAMCchief operating officer. “It shows that CAMCalso is on the cutting edge of health carequality and setting new standards for high-performing, high-value health care. Theseimprovements not only make us a betterhospital, they are showing others what ispossible and helping set reasonable targetsfor improvement that will benefit patientsnationwide.”

Developed in partnership with Premier and

the Institute for Healthcare Improvement(IHI), QUEST is designed to supporthospitals in reaching new levels ofperformance and inform public policies with meaningful solutions supported byreal results. Together, QUEST hospitalsshare ideas and best practices to createeffective strategies for reducing variation, anapproach that has shown to support carequality, safety and cost improvements.

“We are taking the next steps to achievereliable delivery of the best clinical,financial and satisfaction outcomes,”Crotty said.

“QUEST hospitals are challenged toovercome process failures and excessivecosts, and measure themselves againstone another to achieve top performance,”

said Susan DeVore, Premier presidentand CEO. “They have committed to serveas a test bed, identifying areas wherefurther improvements are needed whileshowing what is possible in performanceimprovement in health care. Providers suchas CAMC are setting the standard for topquality care.”

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NEW HOURS(effective Jan. 3, 2011)*

Open Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Closed holidays*St. Albans HealthPlus only

For expanded hours, please visit ourother urgent care centers that are open7 days a week from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.:

CAMC Urgent Care Center– Cross Lanes

314 Goff Mountain Rd., Suite 3(304) 388-7070

HealthPlus – Southridge301 RHL Blvd., Suite 3 – South

Charleston (304) 388-7010

HealthPlus – Kanawha City 4602 MacCorkle Ave. SE – Charleston

(304) 925-4777

Tera Winfree, CAMC pulmonary rehab participant

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CAMC Physicians Group is the new namefor a network of physician practices affiliated

with CAMC, Teays Valley Hospital and otherCAMC Health System companies. CAMCPhysicians Group will now replace theIntegrated Health Care Providers, Inc.name on many practices.

“IHCPI has grown from a few practicesand a handful of physicians 15 years agoto more than a dozen medical practicesand 80 physicians today, with moregrowth expected in the future,” said JeffGoode, president of IHCPI. “Our growthis due to several factors, namely CAMC’s

commitment to providing access to subspecialty care and recent impacts of healthcare reform that have changed the practicepreferences of our physicians. As we havegrown to meet our community’s health

care needs in this changing health careenvironment, so has the need to foster thecollaborative relationships between thesepractices and CAMC.”

There are 12 practices that have beenrenamed CAMC Physicians Group: DentalCenter; Facial Surgery Center; FertilityCenter; General & Vascular Surgery Center;Neurological Services; Orthopedic TraumaGroup; Plastic Surgery Center; Teays ValleyOrthopedics; Teays Valley Urology; UrologyCenter of Charleston; Urologic SurgicalCenter; and Urology Transplant.

David Lee Cancer Center, HealthPlus UrgentCare Centers, bariatric surgery, pathologyand hospitalists still fall under IHCPI.

Many of these practices and their physiciansare not new to the CAMC Health System,but the group’s new name better reflectsthe wide range of quality health servicesprovided by CAMC Health System

companies.

“Although we have many different doctors working in different specialties and offices, we’re all united by a common goal toprovide the best possible health outcomesfor patients,” Goode said. “From easy accessto prompt medical care to the most effectivetreatment options, our focus is truly onexceptional patient care.”

Over the next few months patients willnotice the transition to the new CAMCPhysicians Group name when they visitthe offices that are part of the group, butnothing will change in the day to dayoperations of these practices.

“Your doctors will stay the same andthere will be no interruption to medicalcare,” Goode said. “We’re simply makingthis change to unify services and make iteasier for patients to get the specialty carethey need. Now, when you see the CAMCPhysicians Group name and logo on anoffice, physician’s lab coat or advertisement,

you’ll know what it stands for – a largegroup of skilled and experienced people

working together to offer a wide rangeof health care services for a healthiercommunity.”

CAMC Physicians Group: New name for a growing group of medical specialties

CAMC nurses talk with students at schools and

community events to provide ATV and bicycle

safety education.


8/20/2019 Cam c Today 201101


Organ donation is one of the mostsensitive, yet important, initiatives inhealth care today. According to the UnitedNetwork for Organ Sharing (UNOS), thereare currently more than 109,000 people waiting for tissue, eye or life-saving organtransplantations.

CAMC collaborates with the Center forOrgan Recovery & Education (CORE) toeducate staff and help families through theemotional process of donating organs.

Because CAMC is home to the only kidneytransplant center in the state, viable kidneyscan be transplanted to matching recipientson site. More than 900 kidney transplantshave been performed at CAMC over the past20 years, including 34 transplants in 2010.

CAMC’s kidney transplant program is acollaborative effort with the ClevelandClinic Foundation. CAMC also receivesa special designation from UNOS thatgives West Virginia kidney patients prioritystatus to be matched and transplanted withkidneys recovered from the state. If no in-state match is found, these organs are thenmatched with patients in a larger organ

procurement service area.

“The entire transplant process on averagetakes 12 to 15 hours, and in some cases upto 24 hours,” said Glen Martin, associateadministrator at CAMC General Hospital.

CAMC also participates in other organ,tissue and eye donations. Although thesetransplants do not take place at CAMC,many lives are saved from organs and tissuedonated here. In 2010, CAMC had 20 organdonors, 28 tissue donors and 29 corneadonors.

“One person can save up to eight livesthrough organ donation and assist dozensof others with life enhancing tissue and eye

donation,” saidHolly Mitchell,CORE’s regionalprofessionalservices liaison.

The hospital’sdonor advisorygroup works toincrease organ,tissue andeye donationopportunities byimplementing ways to streamlineand improve theprocess, whichbegins when life-saving medical care isperformed and the medical staff determinesthat a patient will not survive. Doctorsinform the family, and the hospital staffthen notifies CORE. If CORE determinesthere is potential for organ donation, COREsends a specially-trained staff member tothe hospital to talk with the family aboutthe opportunity to donate.

In accordance with the WV Uniform Anatomical Gift Act, if the patient is a

designated organ donor on his or herlicense, the designation is a legally bindingdocument and cannot be overturned. If thepatient is not a designated donor, the familydecides they want to pursue organ donationand the patient is a donor candidate, thepatient’s information is put into the UNOSdatabase, which cross matches for recipientsacross the nation.

CAMC is committed to fostering asupportive environment about organdonation. Its pastoral care staff is animportant part of the process becausemany families seek guidance from religiousleaders when making the decision todonate.

“The family of an organ donor experiencingthe impending death of a loved one mayexperience a number of different emotions,”said Sister Francis Kirtley, CAMC chaplain.“A trust level established with the familyopens the door for the family to share thepatient’s wishes in regard to end of lifecare.”

The act of donation often helps familiesin their grieving process. While it does nottake away the pain of their loss, it can help

them to know that someone is alive becauseof their loved one’s donation.

“One of my greatest joys as a hospitalchaplain is to walk into an ICU and find apatient who just received a kidney. Thosepatients are smiling and ready to tell meabout their wait, their months or years onkidney dialysis, and the happiness of beingcalled to receive a new kidney, which forthem is a gift for a new life,” Kirtley said.“I wish more people could see what I seefollowing a kidney transplant. I believe it would make a big difference in the lives ofso many individuals awaiting the giftof life.”

Organ donation initiativesat CAMC provide life-savingservices to the community

www.camc.org 3

Would you notice if someone made very smallchanges to your favorite meal to try to make ithealthier? That’s the idea behind the conceptof “stealth health.” Replacing butter with oliveoil, baking foods instead of frying them, andswapping empty carbohydrates for whole

grain versions are just some of the things thatCAMC is starting to do for its patient mealsand cafeteria offerings.

CAMC’s food and nutrition servicesdepartment, along with Morrison HealthcareFood Services, recognizes the importanceof healthy eating for patients, employeesand visitors. However, they also know thatgradually switching in more nutritious

versions of favorite foods will ultimately bebetter than a rapid menu overhaul.

“Most people don’t change their eating habitsovernight, and we want this to be successful,”said Lisa Roberson, RD, LD, director, MorrisonCorporate Wellness. “We have made overseveral items in the café as well as some onthe patient menu. We want to keep servingthe local favorites, but make small changes to

improve the health profile of these foods.”

Stay tuned for more information aboutCAMC’s healthy meal initiatives, and nexttime you visit a CAMC cafeteria, see if you cantell which foods have undergone a “stealthhealth” makeover.

The after-holiday weight loss kick spursmany people to think about getting theproper nutrition for their bodies. This issomething that clinical dietitians do everyday for their patients, but it’s not all abouttelling people to eat more fruit and cutback on the french fries. Depending on

their specialty, dietitians at CAMC may be working with a patient who just hada kidney transplant, assessing apremature baby for nutritionalneeds, determining the bestcourse of treatment for apatient who needs to be tube-fed or educating a person with diabetes.

CAMC is fortunate to haveseveral clinical registereddietitians (RD) with advancedtraining in their chosen fields.Some of them are the only onesin their specialty in the state orone of very few in the country.

CAMC has certified specialists in renalnutrition, pediatric nutrition, gerontological

nutrition, nutrition support anddiabetes education. Each of these patientpopulations has special needs and concerns.

“In addition to the requirements tobecome a registered dietitian, they’ve goneabove and beyond in their specializedcertifications. This wasn’t a requirementfor them; but rather, something they alldid on their own,” said Peg Andrews,MA, RD, CSG, LD, a certified specialistin gerontological nutrition. “With anadditional certification, you have to havea level of expertise and experience tomaintain a certain standard of care.”

Beverly Mann, RD, CSR, LD, is a certifiedspecialist in renal nutrition and also hasa certificate in adult weight management.

“With renal patients, you are dealing witha life-altering change: either dialysis or akidney transplant. You have to adapt theirdiet, but try to let them have as manychoices as possible, because they don’t havethose choices with dialysis or surgery,” shesaid. Mann is one of three renal specialistsin West Virginia, and one of 380 in thecountry.

Mann currently works at the CAMC WeightLoss Center, preparing patients for surgical weight loss or counseling them duringmedical weight loss. She said that manypatients coming in for weight loss also havea degree of renal failure, and her specialty isa definite advantage.

Amy Spadafora, MS, RD, CSP, LD, isthe only certified specialist in pediatric

nutrition in the state. “Every patient is likea tiny puzzle that we have to decode. Oneof the challenges in working in pediatrics isthat there aren’t guidelines or protocols formany of the issues facing our kids. Thereis a lot of thinking outside the box for thecomplicated cases, but those are the ones

that I love best,” she said.

Spadafora’s primary focus is working with children who

can’t eat conventionally. “Thiscould arise from a variety ofproblems: trauma, a disorderat birth that prevents ‘normaleating,’ surgery, etc.,” she said.

“Pediatrics is a unique worldcompared to adults, becausethe approach to patients and

families is different. I think myspecialty allows me to have an

expanded knowledge base andcomfort level with my patients,”

Spadafora said.

A specialty that many people may not know

about is that of a nutrition support dietitian(or nutrition support clinician). Nutritionsupport specialists work with patients whoaren’t able to eat by mouth and need tobe fed through a tube into their digestivesystem (enteral nutrition) or into their vein(parenteral nutrition).

Ann Grose, RD, CNSC, LD; Jenni Jones,MS, RD, CNSC, LD; and Cindy Franz,RD, CNSD, LD, are the nutrition supportdietitians at CAMC.

Jones said that working in the inpatient areahas unique challenges. “We are behind thescenes, and it’s a different world.”

“We see patients with many differentneeds,” Franz said. “We determine the

minute components of what they need, with the ultimate goal of getting them to eatby mouth.”

“We all have several triggers and conditionsfor which we see patients, includingHIV, pancreatitis, pressure ulcers anduncontrolled blood sugar,” Grose said.“Different people require differentnutrients.”

Nutrition support specialists sometimeshave to retrain a patient’s eating abili ty.Even when a patient resumes eating bymouth, they may not like the same foodsthat they did before, as medications candistort the taste of food.

Patients who are treated during theirhospital stay may need nutritional help

once they are discharged. “We have a very team oriented environment and acontinuum of care. It’s a seamless processfrom inpatient to outpatient,” Franz said.“We can start with skills as an inpatient,then refer them for outpatient help, such as with diabetes.”

CAMC has two dietitians who are certifiedin diabetes education. Jenny McMillion,RD, CDE, LD, works in the outpatientdiabetes education program, and SusanPoindexter, MS, RD, LD, CDE, works withpatients in the Dean Ornish and cardiac

rehab programs.

“The people that we serve want qualitydiabetes education. Our outpatient diabeteseducation program provides comprehensiveservices and is nationally recognized by the American Diabetes Association. With mycertification and our program’s awardedrecognition, it helps to show people with diabetes that we can help providethe effective tools for a healthy lifestyle,”McMillion said.

“My certification as a diabetes educator isan advantage to our Ornish program andcardiac rehab participants. Approximatelyone-third have diabetes, one-third are atrisk for diabetes, and most of the rest havemetabolic syndrome, which is a precursor to

pre-diabetes and diabetes,” Poindexter said.

Poindexter provides nutrition assessments,consultations and medical nutrition therapyfor participants in the Ornish and cardiacrehab programs. “It’s gratifying to seeprogram participants incorporate what theyhave learned from our programs into theirlives, and become healthier for it,” she said.

The specialties of the clinical dietitiansat CAMC are advantageous not only forpatients, but for the community.

“We participate in several events, includingCAMC HealthFest and Teddy Bear Fair, as well as giving lectures and presentations forother health care providers,” Andrews said.“Reaching out to the community is veryimportant to us.”

Dietitians andnutritionists:

What’s the difference?

Registered dietitians (RD) must have

a bachelor’s degree from an accreditedinstitution, complete an internship, passa registration exam given by the AmericanDietetic Association and maintain requiredcontinuing education credits.

While some states have licensing andguidelines for nutritionists, many don’t. Inthese states, anyone can call themselves anutritionist, regardless of their education ortraining.

For more information about registereddietitians, visit www.eatright.org .

Source: American Dietetic Association

The brain is one of the most complex andfrustrating parts of the body for doctors totreat. Aside from all the functions of the bodythe brain controls, it also has the power toself-destruct.

Researchers at CAMC are participating in anationwide clinical trial to see if a new drugcan help slow the spread of damage to thebrain.

The investigational drug is being developedby Neuren in conjunction with the U.S Army.It has been shown to reduce brain damageand improve recovery after traumatic braininjury in animal studies.

Once a brain injury occurs, a process beginsin which the brain starts turning off neuronsand sometimes ends with the brain self-destructing, or killing, itself.

“We’re hoping this drug is the solution toturn off that process,” said Frank C. Lucente,MD, a trauma surgeon and principalinvestigator at CAMC. “We can’t bring backthe cells from the original injury, but we canhopefully turn off the biological machineryand stop the brain from killing itself.”

Traumatic brain injury is a very serious health

problem that frequently results in persistentproblems with memory, attention span andmood. Severe cases can cause fatigue, seizures,inappropriate behavior, visual defects andloss of smell or taste, among others.

Previous safety studies done with healthymale volunteers have shown a good safetyprofile for the investigational drug. This isthe first study to look at the drug’s safety intraumatic brain injury patients. Researchersare looking for male patients between 18 and70 years old that are admitted to the hospital

with a non-penetrating moderate to severetraumatic brain injury.

Researchers hope to enroll about 10participants in the trial from CAMC.

Drug researchlooks at brain injury

Members of CAMC’s Donor Advisory GroupFront row (L to R): Ken Sheriff, Medical Eye Bank of WV; Nancy Hall, STICU – General

Hospital; Becky Schrader, family support education coordinator – CORE; Jennifer Bragg,transplant social worker; Debbie Wiley, PICU – Women and Children’s Hospital

Back row (L to R): Glen Martin, associate administrator – General Hospital; SisterFrances Kirtley, chaplain – pastoral care; Dale Dawson, MICU – General Hospital; GearyCopenhaver, respiratory therapy – General Hospital; Holly Mitchell, regional professional

services liaison – CORE

“Stealth health”

comes to CAMC

Clinical dietitians provide specialized care Some are unique in the state


8/20/2019 Cam c Today 201101


Injury to an infant is the last thingparents want to think about. During thepast few months in childbirth educationclasses at the CAMC Family ResourceCenter (FRC), educators have made sure

that new and soon-to-be parents thinkabout their actions and the consequencesby using infant simulators fromRealityworks, Inc. to demonstrate whathappens to shaken, fetal alcohol anddrug addicted babies.

“We utilize these baby simulatorsduring our educational classes to helpdrive home the point that Fetal AlcoholSyndrome, drug addiction and ShakenBaby Syndrome are real,” said KellyGilbert, RN, BSN, CCCE, family lifeeducator at the Family Resource Center. “ We show slides on the importance ofavoiding drugs and alcohol and thenhold each baby up in comparison with a‘healthy’ baby doll.”

The impact of these demonstrations is

amazing.

“Some people have a stunned look, whileothers gasp and hold their hands overtheir mouths,” Gilbert said. “For example,the Shaken Baby Syndrome doll cries andits brain lights up. It is utilized in a waythat demonstrates how a small amountof shaking can create a large amount ofdamage. The baby stops crying after onlya few shakes and the areas of the brainthat are damaged light up. It is a powerfuldemonstration of how easily a baby can beinjured.”

“At first, almost everyone is hesitant toshake the baby, and they are amazed athow fast damage can happen when theydo,” said Bev Kitchen, RN, Regional Care

Coordinator for the Right from the StartProgram. “It is literally seconds! Mostpeople that see the drug addicted baby are

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Interactive babies teach important lessons

disturbed with its physical presence. It isthin and has a high pitched cry and jitteryshaking of its body.”

In addition to childbirth education classesat the FRC, the babies are also used athealth fairs, the Teddy Bear Fair, babysafety showers, conferences, staff educationsessions and more.

“Designated care coordinators use them forchildbirth education like Kelly does, andcan work with individual clients providingeducation on harmful behaviors duringpregnancy,” Kitchen said. “The Officeof Maternal Child and Family Healthpurchased the babies for all the Right from

the Start Regional Lead Agencies in the stateto provide education by the regional anddesignated care coordinators.”

CAMC Women and Children’s Hospitalis the Regional Lead Agency for the Rightfrom the Start Program for Region III, which includes Kanawha, Putnam, Booneand Clay Counties. These dolls are a very

useful way for these counties to help visuallearners realize the impact alcohol, drugsand shaking can have on a baby.

“After demonstration, we lay the babieson a table for participants to look atagain as they exit the classroom,” Gilbertsaid. “Many people make comments onhow ugly the Fetal Alcohol Syndromebaby is, how hard it must be for a drugaddicted baby to detox and question howanyone could really ever shake a baby. The addition of these dolls has createdconversation amongst the pregnantpopulation, and I am amazed at theimpact they have made on our classes.”

“I think as health professionals we oftensay if people could see what we see, it

would be different,” Kitchen said. “In this

regard, the Realityworks simulators are very valuable. Parents and others can see whatcould happen and then take steps towardprevention.”

The Family Resource Center has beenproviding services like this to thecommunity for more than 20 years. Inaddition to childbirth education classes, itoffers counseling for individuals, couples,adolescents and children; psychiatricmedical interventions; communityofferings that deal with family issues suchas parenting, divorce/blended families,infertility counseling, geriatrics, women’shealth issues and more; and many supportgroups.

For more information about FRC programs,

call (304) 388-2545, or visitwww.camc.org/frc.

Man thriving afterexternal counterpulsation

(ECP) therapy

Nason “Joe” Akers spent his 2009Christmas in the hospital, having fivebypasses on Dec. 24.

“I told the nurse that bypass surgery wasmy Christmas present,” he said. “She saidbeing alive was my present, and I had toagree.”

Akers, who is 72, had suffered fromangina (chest pain or discomfort thatoccurs when the heart muscle does not

get enough blood) for years and hadtrouble doing the simplest of daily tasks. After having a total of 12 stents that led tobypass surgery, Akers was referred to theexternal counterpulsation (ECP) therapyprogram at CAMC.

“Patients who have stable angina andare not candidates for further invasivetreatment (cardiac stents or angioplastyprocedures) are normally coveredby insurance for these treatments,”said Ed Haver, director of the cardiacrehabilitation program. “Oftentimes ECPpatients have had cardiac bypass surgeryor other heart procedures done in thepast, but the angina returned and can’t beadequately treated.”

ECP therapy works to improve circulationto the heart muscle, increasing oxygen-rich blood flow to the heart and reducingits workload. It also helps to build newpathways around blocked arteries in theheart by expanding tiny blood vessels thataid blood flow.

The treatment is done with the patientlying on his back on a padded bed. Largeblood pressure-like cuffs are wrappedaround the patient’s calves, thighs andbuttocks. These cuffs automaticallyinflate and deflate, beginning withthe lower legs and working upwardcorresponding to every heartbeat. Whenthe heart is at rest the cuffs inflate andthen rapidly deflate before the heart beatsagain. This procedure takes one hour,and the patient comes five days per week

for seven weeks. While the proceduretakes place, the patient can watch TV,listen to music or talk with the cardiacrehab staff who monitor the procedure.

Akers, who lives in Beckley, was able tocomplete the treatment more quickly byhaving it two times per day, five days a week.

“Everybody’s been real nice andaccommodating here, and the treatmentsaren’t painful at all,” Akers said. “When Istarted, I had to take naps because I wasso tired from it, but now I don’t. All thetrips to Charleston have been worth itsince it is keeping me from having chestpains.”

Patients can return for more treatmentsif their symptoms return in the future. Anyone interested in ECP needs to bereferred by their family physician orspecialist.

“Because of the positive impact ofthe procedures, it is important thatthe patient’s physician be involved inhis care,” Haver said. “The medicalcommunity in Charleston has been verysupportive of ECP because their patientshave usually exhausted all other avenuesof cardiac care, leaving them both veryfrustrated. It has been very gratifying tothe staff to be able to help patients regaintheir health and well being when theythought there was no hope.”

Because of ECP, Joe Akers has renewed

hope for the new year.

“It’s great,” he said. “I have more energyand no angina. I walk two miles everymorning, can finally mow my grass anddo some other work around the housethat I hadn’t been able to do.”

For more information about cardiacprograms at CAMC, visit www.camc.org/ heart or call (304) 388-9520.

Migraine sufferers find relief with new approaches to treatment As one of only two headache

specialists in West Virginia,Foster sees how migraineimpacts patient’s livesevery day. She has alsoexperienced it firsthandas a migraine suffererherself, which led toher life-long study ofunderstanding thedisease and helping

others manage it.

“Migraine is a brainthing, not a pain thing,

meaning headaches arecaused by a problem with

the brain chemical serotonin,”Foster said. “A bad marriage or a

bad hair day doesn’t cause headache;lack of serotonin causes headache. Andlike asthma or diabetes, it’s a disease thatcan be managed with lifestyle changes. Thekey is making a complicated brain processsomething people can understand so they

can become empowered to takecontrol of it.”

Certain foods and environmentalfactors such as stress, lack of sleepor missed meals can trigger aheadache.

“Just as an asthma attack can betriggered by a cat for someoneallergic to cat hair, a migraineattack can be triggered by a missedmeal or a late night,” Foster said.“Being aware of your triggers helps you avoid them and control thefrequency of attacks.”

Foster works with patients to findout what triggers their migraine andhow those triggers can be avoided.

“One of the biggest culprits is foodadditives,” she said. “It’s critical

that people change their diet,reduce food additives and bring theneurochemicals in their brain backin balance with a balanced diet andregular exercise. Controlling thebiological stress response is the keyto controlling migraine.”

Foster said migraine can beeasily treated, yet less than halfof migraine sufferers have been

Migraine sufferers know thesymptoms all too well – apounding headache, nausea, vomiting and/or sensitivityto light. For nearly 30million Americans, whenmigraine strikes life comesto a debilitating halt, andnothing else matters butmaking the pain stop.

Dr. Carol Foster’s missionis to do just that – to helppatients understand migraineand enjoy a better quality oflife without pain.

“Migraine is not just a badheadache, it’s an inherited braindisease,” said Foster, a board certifiedneurologist with Neurological Servicesat CAMC, who has extensive trainingin treating headaches. “Like asthma ordiabetes, migraine is a chronic medicaldisorder.”

diagnosed or treated, in part, due tomedication overuse.

“Migraine is biological, not psychological.Just taking a pill when you have a headachedoes not treat the cause of the headache. You have to treat the disease.”

Foster said many people don’t understandthat the medications they take forheadache may actually cause more

headaches. Frequent use of prescriptionand nonprescription pain pills, sinuspills, muscle relaxants, sleeping pills andtranquilizers often result in a cycle ofheadaches.

“Giving pain pills to a person withheadaches is like giving cookies to adiabetic. You feel better for a little while,but it only makes the problem worse,”Foster said. “You break the cycle byunderstanding what’s causing the headacheand changing the behaviors that contributeto it. When you understand the disease andmake changes in your life, often you cancontrol your headaches and improve yourquality of life.”

Foster says her approach to treatingmigraine is much like that of treating anyother chronic disease, meaning patientsdon’t come in for a “quick fix” just whenthey have a headache.

“In between attacks of migraine you feelfine, so it’s natural to want to deal with theproblem when you experience the attackand ignore the condition when you aresymptom-free. The problem with this is you’re simply treating the symptoms andnot the disease.”

Foster has created a comprehensive “braincell fitness program” where patients learnhow to manage their disease and reducethe frequency of their headaches througha combination of approaches, including

lifestyle changes and medication, if needed.

“It’s not always easy, but being headache-free can be life changing and well worth theeffort,” Foster said.

For more information call NeurologicalServices at CAMC at (304) 388-6620.

Sources: “Migraine: Your Questions Answered”and “Gotta Headache?” by Carol A. Foster, MD

ABOUT MIGRAINENearly 30 million Americans suffer from

migraine, with women being affected three times

more often than men.

Migraine is most commonly experienced between

the ages of 15 and 55, and 70 to 80 percent of

sufferers have a family history of migraine.

Migraine is often misdiagnosed as sinus headache

or tension headache.

Many factors can trigger migraine attacks, such as

alteration of sleep-wake cycle; missing or delaying

a meal; daily or near daily use of medications

designed for relieving headache attacks; bright

lights, certain foods; and excessive noise.

Migraine characteristics can include:

• Pain typically on one side of the head

• Pain that has a pulsating or

throbbing quality

• Moderate to intense pain

affecting daily activities

• Nausea or vomiting

• Sensitivity to light or sound• Attacks lasting four to 72 hours,

sometimes longer

• Visual disturbances or aura

• Exertion, such as climbing stairs, makes

headache worse

Talk to your family doctor if you are medicat-

ing a headache more than four days a month.

Source: National Headache Foundation

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Kelly Gilbert holds some of the babies that areused to teach about high-risk behaviors during,

and after, pregnancy.

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