march 2013 baylor baylorhealth.com/ health...

HealthMarch 2013

Resting EasyNow pain-free, BILL GEORGE relaxes with wife, Phyllis, knowing that his new knees allow them to travel, play and livepage 6

Baylor

real PATIENTS. real STORIES.

Don’t fear this screeningPut your colonoscopy concerns to rest page 8

nicU KnowleDgeWhat to expect if your baby needs special care page 4

fort worth eDition

Visit Baylorhealth.com/ allsaints for informative videos, interactive quizzes, online event registration and much more.

FdBL031308_Allsaints.indd 1 1/18/13 9:58 AM

Eat to Keep Your Colon HappyWhen shopping for food, you probably fi rst consider what your mouth wants. Then you think about what’s good for your waistline and maybe your heart. But how about your colon? Probably not. But what you eat can aff ect your chances of developing colon cancer. Here are four ways to protect yourself:

1. CUT BACK ON RED AND PROCESSED MEATS. There is a correlation between the

amount of red meat consumed and colon cancer incidence. Choose leaner meats like poultry and fi sh.

2. EAT A VARIETY OF COLORS. Fruits and vegetables contain cancer-fi ghting antioxidants, and in general, the more colorful the specimen, the better.

Loading up on produce will help you get the recommended 25 grams of fi ber a day.

3. DECREASE ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION. Limit alcoholic beverages to one per day for women and two for men.

4. GET THE RECOMMENDED AMOUNT OF CALCIUM. That’s 800 milligrams per day for most adults and 1,000 milligrams a day for women over 50.

Learn How to Eat for Overall HealthFor information on outpatient nutrition services off ered at Baylor Fort Worth, visit BaylorHealth.com/AllSaintsNutrition or call 1.800.4BAYLOR.

HELPING YOU COPE WITH BREAST CANCERDealing with breast cancer is overwhelming, whether you’re newly diagnosed, going through treatment or in remission. That’s why Joan Katz Breast Center at Baylor All Saints Medical Center at Fort Worth off ers free support and patient navigation services to members of the community. And you don’t have to be a Baylor patient to benefi t. A nurse navigator will help you understand your diagnosis and walk you through all aspects of treatment.

Other services off ered at the Joan Katz Breast Center, which is accredited by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers, include:

• Education on breast cancer, treatment options, nutrition and wellness

• Connection to community resources and coordination of medical appointments

• Look Good … Feel Better® classes

• Genetic counseling and testing• Survivor Gals Salon• Breast cancer support group• Free yoga classes for

patients, survivors and their caregivers

• Therapeutic play and counseling by a child-life specialist

• Free emotional health counseling for all cancer patients and their families

Baylor All Saints Medical Center at Fort Worth, 1400 Eighth Ave., Fort Worth, TX 76104, 817.926.2544. Visit BaylorHealth.com or call 1.800.4BAYLOR for information about Baylor All Saints Medical Center services, upcoming events, physician referrals, career opportunities and more. Marketing/Public Relations Director: Dee Dee Ogrin.

Baylor Health Care System Mission: Founded as a Christian ministry of healing, Baylor Health Care System exists to serve all people through exemplary health care, education, research and community service.

All Saints Outpatient Diagnostic Center: 817.922.7780. All Saints Health Foundation: 817.922.7707. Behavioral Health Services: 817.922.1162. Carter Rehabilitation & Fitness Center: 817.922.1139. Diabetes Center: 817.922.1794. Lymphedema Center: 817.922.2530. Neuroscience Program: 817.922.2385. Pain Management Program: 817.922.PAIN. Transplantation Services: 817.922.4650. Volunteer Services: 817.922.2376. Wound Management Program: 817.922.2430.

The material in BaylorHealth is not intended for diagnosing or prescribing. Consult your physician before under taking any form of medical treatment or adopting any exercise program or dietary guidelines. Physicians are members of the medical staff at one of Baylor Health Care System’s subsidiary, community or affiliated medical centers and are neither employees nor agents of those medical centers, Baylor All Saints Medical Center or Baylor Health Care System. BaylorHealth is published six times a year for friends and supporters of Baylor All Saints Medical Center and is distributed by the Marketing Department of Baylor All Saints Medical Center. BaylorHealth is published by McMurry/TMG, LLC. © 2013 Baylor Health Care System. Photographs may include models or actors and may not represent actual patients. If you are receiving multiple copies, need to change your mailing address or do not wish to receive this publication, please send your mailing label(s) and the updated information to Robin Vogel, Baylor Health Care System, 2001 Bryan St., Suite 750, Dallas, TX 75201, or by email to [email protected].

Let Us Guide YouTo learn more about the services off ered at Joan Katz Breast Center at Baylor Fort Worth, visit BaylorHealth.com/AllSaintsBreastCenter or call 1.800.4BAYLOR.

Fruits and vegetables ©Getty Images/iStockphoto

Get to the Root of Your Health

Bandage ©Getty Images/iStockphoto; family ©Getty Images

HELP FOR WOUNDS THAT WON’T HEALWe all injure ourselves from time to time, and most of our wounds heal with no problem. But people with certain chronic conditions such as anemia, diabetes, heart disease and kidney disease sometimes have wounds that can’t get better on their own.

Talk to your doctor if you have these symptoms of a wound that won’t heal:• Persistent, increased pain• Discoloration of the

wound near its edges—often a dark or bluish color

• Increased drainage from the wound

• Redness or swelling around or spreading away from the wound

• A foul odor coming from the wound

You know the importance of understanding your family health history. After all, it seems as though your doctor’s offi ce asks for it every time you visit. But for some reason, you haven’t compiled yours yet. Make March your month to fi nally put together a family health tree that you and your kids can use for years to come. Share it with your doctor so that he or she can recommend earlier or more frequent screenings and other potentially lifesaving advice.

It’s most important to capture history for immediate family members—mother, father, siblings and children. Add extended family as applicable. Here’s what to include:

• Common chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, neurological diseases, hemophilia, cystic fi brosis, sickle cell anemia, stroke and cancer

• Other serious medical conditions, such as pregnancy complications or birth defects

• Age at onset of disease• Ethnicity—some conditions are more

common in certain groups• Age at death and causeTo learn more about starting a family

health tree, visit BaylorHealth.com/FamilyTree today.

BaylorHealth.com now in SpanishBaylor’s Spanish-language website, BaylorHealth.com/Salud, has offi cially launched. The site off ers information about Baylor facilities, has a bilingual “Find a Physician” tool, and provides health information in Spanish through the HealthSource® Library. ¡Salud!

Have a Wound That Won’t Heal?Talk to your doctor today or visit FindDrRight.com for a free physician referral.

2 BaylorHealth.com


Fruits and vegetables ©Getty Images/iStockphoto

Get to the Root of Your Health

Bandage ©Getty Images/iStockphoto; family ©Getty Images

HELP FOR WOUNDS THAT WON’T HEALWe all injure ourselves from time to time, and most of our wounds heal with no problem. But people with certain chronic conditions such as anemia, diabetes, heart disease and kidney disease sometimes have wounds that can’t get better on their own.

Talk to your doctor if you have these symptoms of a wound that won’t heal:• Persistent, increased pain• Discoloration of the

wound near its edges—often a dark or bluish color

• Increased drainage from the wound

• Redness or swelling around or spreading away from the wound

• A foul odor coming from the wound

You know the importance of understanding your family health history. After all, it seems as though your doctor’s offi ce asks for it every time you visit. But for some reason, you haven’t compiled yours yet. Make March your month to fi nally put together a family health tree that you and your kids can use for years to come. Share it with your doctor so that he or she can recommend earlier or more frequent screenings and other potentially lifesaving advice.

It’s most important to capture history for immediate family members—mother, father, siblings and children. Add extended family as applicable. Here’s what to include:

• Common chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, neurological diseases, hemophilia, cystic fi brosis, sickle cell anemia, stroke and cancer

• Other serious medical conditions, such as pregnancy complications or birth defects

• Age at onset of disease• Ethnicity—some conditions are more

common in certain groups• Age at death and causeTo learn more about starting a family

health tree, visit BaylorHealth.com/FamilyTree today.

BaylorHealth.com now in SpanishBaylor’s Spanish-language website, BaylorHealth.com/Salud, has offi cially launched. The site off ers information about Baylor facilities, has a bilingual “Find a Physician” tool, and provides health information in Spanish through the HealthSource® Library. ¡Salud!

Have a Wound That Won’t Heal?Talk to your doctor today or visit FindDrRight.com for a free physician referral.

BaylorHealth.com 3


The neonaTal inTensive care unit is one of those places parents hope they never need, but are glad to know is available if they do. Because emotions run high when becoming a parent, it’s hard to prepare for having a child that needs NICU care. But knowing what to expect might help ease some fears.

Setting expectationSAny baby who is more than five to six weeks premature, as well as babies who need help for other reasons, such as low blood sugar or breathing problems, come to the NICU. While there, the babies are looked after by a multidisciplinary team that includes a physician neonatologist, specially trained neonatal nurses, respiratory therapists, dietitians, pharmacists and physical therapists.

The big question is, what must happen for your baby to be well enough to leave the NICU?

“You have to be able to breathe, eat and stay warm to get out of the NICU,” says Erin Hamilton-Spence, MD, a neonatologist on the medical staff at Baylor All Saints Medical Center’s Andrews Women’s Hospital. “So your baby may need help for all three of those things when they first get here.”

If breathing help is needed, you can expect that they might be put on extra oxygen. Environmental and nutritional support will help meet the warmth requirement.

“Premature babies typically need to add body mass in order to be able to stay warm in an open room,” Dr. Hamilton-Spence says.

Bonding for Better HealtHBonding can be a challenge when your baby is in the NICU, but it is important.

With the sickest babies, Dr. Hamilton-Spence suggests very gentle bonding, such as letting your child hear your voice as well as having skin-to-skin contact (to maintain the infant’s body temperature) for babies who are healthy enough. And mother’s milk is another important factor.

“Mother’s milk is lifesaving medicine for our babies. Those who get breast milk go home sooner and are healthier overall,” Dr. Hamilton-Spence says.

And while their baby is in the NICU, parents are encouraged to visit frequently.

“We have an open visitation policy for parents. They can be here any time of day or night,” she says.

Learn what you can expect in the event your child needs neonatal intensive care

NICU: Here for You

1 in 8The number

of babies born

prematurely in the U.S.

—March of Dimes

Need NICU Services?To learn more about the NICU services offered at Baylor Fort Worth’s Andrews Women’s Hospital, visit BaylorHealth.com/allSaintsnicU or call 1.800.4BaYlor.

WHat’S got YoU WHeeZing?

Find relief from allergy-induced asthma

©Getty Images/iStockphoto©Getty Images/iStockphoto4 BaylorHealth.com


WHAT’S GOT YOU WHEEZING?

Find relief from allergy-induced asthma

©Getty Images/iStockphoto

WHEN YOU THINK OF ASTHMA, do you picture a school kid taking a break from gym class to use his inhaler? That’s how the movies portray it. But in reality, asthma aff ects the young and the old, and it strikes indoors and out. And many times, asthma is triggered by allergens—not always exercise or activity.

In fact, allergies are one of the most common triggers of asthma, says Mudita Shah, MD, a pediatric and adult allergist and immunologist on the medical staff at Baylor All Saints Medical Center at Fort Worth. “Cells in the body get educated to react to allergens, such as pollen, pet dander or dust mites,” she says. “That causes infl ammation, mucus production, redness and swelling.”

WHEN TO SEE A DOCTORAsthma, whether triggered by allergies, exercise, cold weather

or something else, should be diagnosed and treated by a physician. If you have wheezing, coughing or shortness of breath, see your doctor, advises Dr. Shah. “Allergic disease is one of the few things in medicine that can actually be cured through immunotherapy, or allergy shots.”

CHOOSING A TREATMENTYour doctor will help you fi nd the best treatment for your situation. “There are a lot of ways to control asthma,” Dr. Shah says. Avoiding your triggers is the fi rst step. But medications and allergy shots are very eff ective, too.

“You also need to know how to handle symptoms when they occur,” Dr. Shah says. “You and your doctor

have to create a plan to handle attacks based on how severe they are and how you respond to treatments.”

Common Asthma Triggers• Allergies• Tobacco smoke• Dust mites• Air pollution• Cockroach droppings

• Pet dander• Mold• Viral infections• Acid refl ux

—Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

WHEN TO SEE A DOCTORAsthma, whether

have to create a plan to handle attacks based on how severe they are and how you respond to treatments.”

Let Us Help You Breathe EasierFor a referral to a physician who can help you control your asthma or allergies, visit BaylorHealth.com/AllSaints or call 1.800.4BAYLOR today.

BaylorHealth.com 5


Watch Bill’s StoryHear Bill talk more about his experience at BaylorHealth.com/Exclusive today.

REAL PATIENTS. REAL STORIES. ?TimeJoint replacement surgery is life-changing. Here’s how to know when you need it

Is ItAt fi rst, retirement couldn’t slow Bueal “Bill” George down. He and his wife, Phyllis, were as busy as ever—traveling overseas, spending time with their 14 grandkids and overseeing numerous rental properties. But then, the pain started. “It got to where it hurt to walk,” George says. His doctor soon confi rmed he needed to have both knees replaced.

George wasted no time. He had his left knee done in 2009 and his right in 2011—both times at Baylor Medical Center at Irving. “It was unbelievable how much it

improved things,” says the 74-year-old resident of Irving. “I went from not being able to do physical

work to where I can literally do anything the rest of my body will permit me to do.”

That includes helping out two days a week at his youngest son’s farm. Since his knee

replacements, he has done everything from clearing trees to building a cow shade to removing roof shingles.

After seeing such incredible results, George is a vocal proponent of getting help if you need it. “If you’re hurting, see what can be done,” he says. “There’s no reason to suff er if you can get relief.”

Watch Bill’s StoryHear Bill talk more about his experience at BaylorHealth.com/Exclusive

TimeJoint replacement surgery is Here’s how to know when you need it

Is ItTimeIs ItTimeAt fi rst, retirement couldn’t slow Bueal “Bill” George down. He and his wife, Phyllis, were as busy as ever—traveling overseas, spending time with their 14 grandkids and overseeing numerous rental properties. But then, the pain started. “It got to where it hurt to walk,” George says. His doctor soon confi rmed he needed to have both knees replaced.

George wasted no time. He had his left knee done in 2009 and his right in 2011—both times at Baylor Medical Center at Irving. “It was unbelievable how much it

improved things,” says the 74-year-old resident of Irving. “I went from not being able to do physical

work to where I can literally do anything the rest of my body will permit me to do.”

That includes helping out two days a week at his youngest son’s farm. Since his knee

replacements, he has done everything from clearing trees to building a cow shade to removing roof shingles.

After seeing such incredible results, George is a vocal proponent of getting help if you need it. “If you’re hurting, see what can be done,” he says. “There’s no reason to suff er if you can get relief.”

6 BaylorHealth.com


?TimeJoint replacement surgery is life-changing. Here’s how to know when you need it

Are you suffering from joint pain in silence? If any of the following four warning signs sounds familiar, it may be time for a replacement.

Warning #1You can’t make it through the grocery store without taking a break.And it’s not just the grocery store. If you can’t walk around the neighborhood or play with your grandkids without taking frequent breaks, it’s probably time for joint replacement surgery, says Bruce Bollinger, MD, an orthopedic surgeon on the medical staff at Baylor All Saints Medical Center at Fort Worth. “It’s a quality of life decision,” he says. “Joint replacement is typically life-changing.”

Warning #2You can’t do the things you love.For George, not being able to walk his dogs was a red flag that he needed to do something. So was the fact that he was enjoying his travels less and less because being on the tour bus was just too uncomfortable. Sound familiar? Then it’s time to make an appointment with a doctor.

Warning #3You’re unable to get a good night’s rest because of your joint.Maybe it’s the pain keeping you up, or that you can’t get into a comfortable position. “If every time you roll over you feel the bones grind together, you’re going to wake up,” Dr. Bollinger says. “If you can’t sleep, you’re tired all the time.”

Don’t let the pain—or the thought of surgery—keep you from getting your ZZZs. Joint replacement surgery is one of the most successful procedures being done, Dr. Bollinger says. “It’s very common. There’s nothing I do that helps people more.” In fact, more than 1 million hip and knee replacements were completed in 2009, reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Warning #4You’ve tried everything else, and you’re still in pain.“Joint replacement is always the last resort,” Dr. Bollinger says. Your doctor may suggest home exercises, a physical therapy program, medications or injections first. If none of those treatments works, joint replacement may be the next step.

More Than Just Joint PainStill on the fence? Consider what your quality of life will be if you don’t do it. “If you lose the ability to walk, your overall health tends to decline,” Dr. Bollinger says.

Plus, if you choose a hospital that uses minimally invasive techniques and advanced pain control methods, you’re more likely to have a faster recovery and fewer complications. “We see some patients up and walking the same day of their surgery,” Dr. Bollinger says. “It turns someone who can barely walk into a person who can live their life again.”

©Getty Images/iStockphoto BaylorHealth.com 7

Ease the PainIt’s true that knee replacement is painful. It is surgery, after all. But remember that pain from surgery is temporary, unlike the arthritis you’ve been dealing with for a long time. And surgical pain can be well managed.

“Pain management has come a long way over the years. We have newer drugs and newer techniques for dealing with it,” says Paul A. Grant Sr., MD, an interventional pain management physician on the medical staff at Baylor All Saints Medical Center at Fort Worth. “Patients no longer need to fear surgery because of pain. Our goal is to get you through with as little pain as possible.”

Your doctor may prescribe pain medication for use immediately after surgery. Another, more recent option is administering an epidural while you’re in the hospital. Talk to your doctor about the pros and cons of each.

“The days of doctors dictating to patients what’s going to be done are gone,” Dr. Grant says. “Your doctor may make a recommendation, but ultimately, you have the final say.”

Are You Ready for a Replacement?For more information about the orthopedic services offered at Baylor Fort Worth or for a physician referral, visit BaylorHealth.com/allSaintsOrtho or call 1.800.4BaYLOr.


It’s Not That Bad!Put your colonoscopy fears to rest with this primer

Next year. In a few weeks. When my spouse bribes me.If you’re like many Americans, these excuses may pop into your

head when your doctor asks you about making a colonoscopy appointment. But this lifesaving exam isn’t as bad as you think. Read on to find out why it’s not worth all the worrying.

Fear #1 The PreParaTionIf you cringe at the thought of even scheduling a colonoscopy, chances are it’s the “prep” portion that has you feeling squeamish.

“The No. 1 concern I hear from patients is about what getting ready for the exam entails,” says Glen Hooker, MD, a colon and rectal surgeon on the medical staff at Baylor All Saints Medical Center at Fort Worth.

Typically, preparation includes a day of fasting and one or two hours spent drinking a laxative that can cause some cramping and diarrhea.

While diarrhea may not be particularly pleasant, Dr. Hooker says to keep in mind that it’s all relative.

“We’re trying to prevent cancer with this exam,” he says. “One day of diarrhea is well worth possibly preventing cancer or catching cancer at an early stage. Many people do the cleansing the night before, so it doesn’t even interrupt their day-to-day life.”

Fear #2The ProcedureThe actual exam may sound invasive and uncomfortable, but there’s really not much to fear, Dr. Hooker says.

During the test, your doctor will use a thin, flexible tube with a small video camera attached to look at the colon for any ulcers, polyps, tumors or areas of inflammation and bleeding. During a colonoscopy, tissue samples can also be collected and abnormal growths removed.

Thanks to sedation, though, most patients are blissfully unaware of everything going on, making the colonoscopy a pretty easy exam. Plus, it’s an outpatient procedure, so no major downtime other than the day of the procedure is required.

Fear #3The resulTs“The other thing that patients fear the most is the idea that we might actually find something,” Dr. Hooker says.

But that fear should really just be more motivation to get the screening in the first place, he says.

“If precancerous polyps are found, they can be removed to prevent cancer from forming. If cancer is found in its early stages, it can usually be treated with minimally invasive surgery, with excellent survival rates. Colorectal cancer is actually thought of as a curable disease now,” Dr. Hooker says.

Even the worst-case scenario isn’t as scary as you might think. “Deaths from colon cancer have become less common in the past 15 years,” he adds. “There is increased awareness of colorectal cancer, and colonoscopy is doing a good job of what it’s supposed to do.”

8 BaylorHealth.com


BaylorHealth.com 9

What’s Your Screening Schedule?All adults—men and women—should be screened for colon cancer starting at age 50. Those at high risk should talk to their doctor about being screened earlier or more frequently than the general population.

There are three screening tests, each with a diff erent recommended frequency, available to detect colon cancer, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. You and your doctor can decide which is best for you:

• Fecal occult blood test (FOBT), which checks for blood in a series of three stool samples, should be done every year.

• Flexible sigmoidoscopy, in which a physician uses a fl exible, lighted tube called a sigmoidoscope to examine the interior walls of the rectum and part of the colon, should be done every fi ve years.

• Colonoscopy, when physicians use a fl exible, lighted tube called a colonoscope to look at the interior walls of the rectum and the entire colon, should be done every 10 years. This procedure detects precancerous polyps and can also remove them, thereby preventing colon cancer from developing.

It should be noted that colonoscopies are often ordered when the results of other screening tests are unclear, abnormal or positive.

Schedule Your Screening TodayTo learn more about colonoscopy and additional screening recommendations, or to fi nd a physician, visit BaylorHealth.com/AllSaints or call 1.800.4BAYLOR.


Health E. Detective, RNNurses dig deeper to improve care, communication and effi ciency with research

Would You Like to Participate?To learn more about research trials at Baylor seeking participants, visit BaylorHealth.com/AdvancingMedicine today.

10 BaylorHealth.com

WHEN IT COMES TO FINDING hidden opportunities to improve patient care, nurses have a distinct advantage. Observant, conscientious and detail-oriented, they provide hands-on care and act as the main point of contact for families, patients, physicians and other hospital staff . It’s this unique perspective that makes nurse-led studies at Baylor Health Care System medical centers so important and benefi cial to the work that goes on there.

IT STARTS WITH AN IDEA“Nurses are in a unique position to lead health care research studies,” says Susan Houston, RN, PhD, director of nursing research for Baylor Health Care System. “We have a keen eye when caring for patients, and are great detectives when it comes to fi nding opportunities to improve care.”

Jessica Saucier, RN, clinical transplant research nurse at Baylor Research Institute, is an example of one such detective. “I witnessed fi rsthand the lack of patient education, awareness and understanding of their medical conditions and how that aff ected them after they left the hospital,” Saucier says. That realization inspired her to run a study in which nurses used a variety of multimedia to educate patients in lieu of the standard paperwork.

TAKING A CLOSER LOOKIn Saucier’s case, her fi ndings were substantial—40 percent of patients were more informed about their condition and self-care after discharge when they were provided information in a visually stimulating way. “Our next trial will follow these patients to see how the improved comprehension aff ects their health and readmission rates in the long term,” Saucier says.

But gaining new, benefi cial data means nothing if it doesn’t make a diff erence in

the effi cacy, effi ciency or quality of care at Baylor hospitals. “The magic happens when we take what we learn and ask ourselves, ‘How can we improve care with this new information?’�” Dr. Houston says.

FOLLOWING THEIR INSTINCTSThe future holds promise for nurse-led research. In fact, Baylor off ers incentives for nurses who champion and run trials. “The program, called ASPIRE, rewards nurses for their contributions in the fi elds of quality, research and evidence-based practice,” Dr. Houston says.

Saucier says she hopes more nurses will follow suit. “Nurses play a critical role in research,” Saucier says. “I think many nurses are intimidated by research, but they participate in it every day without knowing it. If more nurses participated in evidence-based practice and nursing research, we could change the world.”


Health E. Detective, RNNurses dig deeper to improve care, communication and effi ciency with research

Would You Like to Participate?To learn more about research trials at Baylor seeking participants, visit BaylorHealth.com/AdvancingMedicine today.

10 BaylorHealth.com

WHEN IT COMES TO FINDING hidden opportunities to improve patient care, nurses have a distinct advantage. Observant, conscientious and detail-oriented, they provide hands-on care and act as the main point of contact for families, patients, physicians and other hospital staff . It’s this unique perspective that makes nurse-led studies at Baylor Health Care System medical centers so important and benefi cial to the work that goes on there.

IT STARTS WITH AN IDEA“Nurses are in a unique position to lead health care research studies,” says Susan Houston, RN, PhD, director of nursing research for Baylor Health Care System. “We have a keen eye when caring for patients, and are great detectives when it comes to fi nding opportunities to improve care.”

Jessica Saucier, RN, clinical transplant research nurse at Baylor Research Institute, is an example of one such detective. “I witnessed fi rsthand the lack of patient education, awareness and understanding of their medical conditions and how that aff ected them after they left the hospital,” Saucier says. That realization inspired her to run a study in which nurses used a variety of multimedia to educate patients in lieu of the standard paperwork.

TAKING A CLOSER LOOKIn Saucier’s case, her fi ndings were substantial—40 percent of patients were more informed about their condition and self-care after discharge when they were provided information in a visually stimulating way. “Our next trial will follow these patients to see how the improved comprehension aff ects their health and readmission rates in the long term,” Saucier says.

But gaining new, benefi cial data means nothing if it doesn’t make a diff erence in

the effi cacy, effi ciency or quality of care at Baylor hospitals. “The magic happens when we take what we learn and ask ourselves, ‘How can we improve care with this new information?’�” Dr. Houston says.

FOLLOWING THEIR INSTINCTSThe future holds promise for nurse-led research. In fact, Baylor off ers incentives for nurses who champion and run trials. “The program, called ASPIRE, rewards nurses for their contributions in the fi elds of quality, research and evidence-based practice,” Dr. Houston says.

Saucier says she hopes more nurses will follow suit. “Nurses play a critical role in research,” Saucier says. “I think many nurses are intimidated by research, but they participate in it every day without knowing it. If more nurses participated in evidence-based practice and nursing research, we could change the world.”

Get the ExclusiveVisit BaylorHealth.com/Exclusive for lots more health and wellness content!

CONNECT

Chat Us Up!Are you looking for a physician or a

support group? Would you like to register for a class or an event? Our online

advisers can help. Chat with one today by visiting BaylorHealth.com

and click “Let’s Chat” at the bottom of the page.

TOOL

Plan Your Quit StrategyLooking to stop smoking? You’ll increase your chances of success if you have a plan in place for how to deal with cravings. Visit BaylorHealth.com/QuitSmoking to start planning your quitting strategy today.

TIPSHEET

All About AllergiesIt’s March and you know what that means—allergens are everywhere! Find out what’s most likely making yours act up and how you can keep allergies from keeping you down this spring by downloading our tipsheet at BaylorHealth.com/Exclusive today!

Woman with fl owers ©Released Blend Images/Photoshot; woman with laundry ©Thinkstock BaylorHealth.com 11

VIDEO

WHY AREN’T YOU RELAXED?! Kids! Work! Chores! Does it seem as if everything in your life is shouting for attention? Learn how to relax almost anywhere with our video on relaxation techniques. Visit BaylorHealth.com/Relaxation to watch.

QUIZ

Are You at Risk for Colon Cancer?Visit BaylorHealth.com/ColonRisk to fi nd out if you are at risk for colon cancer.

ONLINE

What’s for Dinner?March is national nutrition month, so why not make healthy eating a priority starting now? Aim to eat at home as a family at least a few nights a week. And when preparing meals, use MyPlate as a guide to ensure everyone at the table is getting the nutrients they need.


NON-PROFIT ORG.US POSTAGE

PAIDBAYLOR HEALTH

Baylor All Saints Medical Center P.O. Box 31 Fort Worth, TX 76101

For a physician referral or for more information, call 1.800.4BAYLOR or visit us online at BaylorHealth.com/AllSaints.

1400 Eighth Ave., Fort Worth, TX 76104

Physicians are members of the medical staff at one of Baylor Health Care System’s subsidiary, community, or affiliated medical centers and are neither employees nor agents of those medical centers, Baylor All Saints Medical Center at Fort Worth or Baylor Health Care System. ©2013 Baylor Health Care System. BASMCFW_1103_2013 BHM CE 01.13

Is also the “best local medical center”.

“Best Place to have a Baby”

No surprise here. Your friends and neighbors have trusted Baylor All Saints

Medical Center at Fort Worth and Andrews Women’s Hospital with their

family’s care for more than a century. Come experience the quality and

caring that has made Baylor Fort Worth a legend in the community.


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