Christmas toy drive to benefit hospitalized children at CoxHealth

This Christmas, you can help the thousands of children that are cared for at CoxHealth each year by donating to the CoxHealth Child Life Christmas Toy Drive.

Donations of a variety of newly purchased items for all ages are appreciated, including coloring books, playing cards, board games, action figures, personal care items, DVDs, video games, scrapbooking and art supplies, and more. For a complete list, visit http://www.coxhealth.com/body.cfm?id=5091.

CoxHealth’s Child Life staff work closely with hospitalized children and their families, helping kids stay calm so medical care can be provided and helping parents cope with the stress of having a hospitalized child. Donated items will be used throughout the year as rewards, prizes and gifts for these children.

Toy drive collection bins are located at Cox South, 3801 S. National, in the North Entrance lobby and in the West Pavilion lobby. For more information, call 269-6784.

Anti-gravity training gets athletes moving

What if you’re an athlete, but due to an injury you can’t work out? What if you want to lose weight, but exercise is difficult and painful. What do you do?

You use the Alter G Anti-Gravity Treadmill.

It looks like a treadmill with an oversized plastic bag attached to it. And, essentially, that’s what it is. But don’t get hung up on what it looks like – it’s what it can do that makes it truly unique.

“What makes the Alter G different is that we’re able to safely and comfortably unweight a person, down to 20 percent of their body weight,” says Andy Compton, Outpatient Therapy manager. “The Alter G uses the air pressure created in the chamber to gently raise the user up without limiting their ability to move. So, a person can exercise as they normally would, but with reduced stress on their joints or on an existing injury.”

For years, therapists have had access to equipment that would allow them to remove a percentage of a patient’s body weight. But there were issues with it.

“The old equipment was a lot more cumbersome – you had to use straps and painstakingly adjust them to get the patient in the proper position, without restricting the patient’s respiratory system – to be honest, we didn’t use it much because it was uncomfortable for patients and difficult to use,” says Jason Pyrah, Sports Medicine coordinator.

With the Alter G, there is no restriction. The user dons special shorts with a zipper around the waist – this zipper is then connected to the zipper on the Alter G “bag,” creating an airtight seal. The therapist uses the treadmill’s electronic controls to set the percentage of body weight to “remove,” and as the bag fills with air, the user is gently lifted until the proper unweighting is achieved. After that, it’s just like using a regular treadmill, whatever your fitness or rehabilitation goal.

While the Alter G can be used by patients and the public with a number of different goals in mind, the staff in Outpatient Therapy uses it primarily while helping athletes recover from injuries.

“In the past, injured athletes were usually told to rest, or maybe get in the pool for exercise while they recovered. This technology is a great alternative where they can continue to run while they heal, with decreased stress on their bodies. They can recover while doing something they love to do,” says Compton.

“Our biggest goal is to get them to return to play,” says Pyrah. “Controlling how much weight they bear on their injury helps us help them recover faster.”

Another benefit to athletes is that the Alter G allows them to maintain their fitness level while they recover. Says Pyrah: “If an athlete sits out for 3 or 4 weeks to recover from an injury, when they get back on the field or the court they often can’t play for long because their fitness level has decreased – it doesn’t have anything to do with the injury that sidelined them in the first place. With this, we can allow the injury to heal while keeping their cardiovascular health up. Then when the injury is fully healed they are at the same fitness level as before.”

While the benefits to athletes are clear, Compton points out that this treadmill can benefit patients and members of the public in a number of different ways.

“For our neurological patients who often have weak muscles, it allows us to help them build endurance and work on their gait while placing less stress on their bodies,” he says. “We also see benefits for post-op patients, and even for people with back pain who are told to walk, but in a normal setting can’t because of the discomfort caused by the exercise.” Seniors also benefit greatly from the reduced joint pain the Alter G offers.

A steady flow of patients have been taking advantage of the Alter G, but the treadmill is also available for community use at certain times of the day. Free trials are available so people can experience the nearly weightless feeling, and passes can be purchased by anyone who would like to use the machine.

Everyone who has been on the Alter G says you have to experience it to understand what it can do. “I think people are amazed by it,” says Compton.

Want to try it?

The Alter G is available for community use. Call 269-5500 for a current schedule, or to schedule a free trial. Passes are also available.

Day pass - $20 (good for one 30-minute session)

12-visit pass - $144 (good for 3 months from date of purchase)

20-visit pass - $200 (good for one month from date of purchase)

MRI is a new frontier in breast cancer imaging

MRI technologist Stephanie Grandestaff and the Breast Care Clinic’s Nancy Frericks test the setup of the new Aurora Breast MRI System, which recently went into service at Hulston Cancer Center.

The physicians and staff at the Breast Care Clinic now have a new tool to help them care for women diagnosed with breast cancer. Earlier this month, they began using the newly installed Aurora 1.5T Dedicated Breast MRI System.

The Aurora is the only MRI made specifically for imaging breasts, and it is the only system cleared by the FDA specifically for this purpose. For the 23,000 women screened for breast cancer at the clinic each year, the presence of the Aurora – the only one in the area – means that if cancer is found the physicians will be able to identify it and monitor it more accurately than ever before.

“The Aurora offers 3D imaging, and can routinely find a tumor as small as 2 mm in size,” says Susan Smith, director of the Breast Care Clinic. “This is significantly smaller than what you routinely find using other MRI systems.”

The Aurora will be used primarily to help stage patients who have been diagnosed with breast cancer, and to screen those at high-risk for the disease.

MRI is used following a positive breast biopsy but prior to surgery. “We want to look closely at the other breast and check it for cancer as well,” says Smith. “Most patients will have multiple MRIs – in addition to pre-surgery appointments, we bring them back in to see what their therapy has achieved.”

Breast Care Clinic staff will also use the Aurora as a screening tool for people with a high risk of breast cancer – especially those with a strong family history of the disease. New screening guidelines for women with breast implants also require an MRI every third year, with mammograms in intervening years.

Prior to the Aurora, patients who needed a breast MRI were scanned at The Martin Center, on a traditional MRI with a dedicated breast coil. The Aurora offers enhanced patient comfort and quicker scan times on a machine with software written specifically to better image breast tissue. “We’re committed to having the most advanced care available for our patients,” Smith says.

CoxHealth receives donation to help ALS patients

Representatives from the Jeff Julian ALS Foundation present a check for $15,000 to CoxHealth Foundation president Lisa Alexander. Pictured are (left to right) Tyler Watskey, Jeff Julian ALS Foundation board chair; Lisa Alexander, CoxHealth Foundation president; J.R. Hutcheson and Jeremy Loftin, Jeff Julian ALS Foundation board members.

The CoxHealth Foundation has received a $15,000 donation from the proceeds of the 2011 Julian Golf Classic and auction, hosted by the Jeff Julian ALS Foundation.

This year’s donation will be used to support the care of ALS patients at CoxHealth through rehabilitation, emergency care and speech therapy.

The Julian Golf Classic honors the life of Jeff Julian, a PGA pro who was diagnosed with ALS in the prime of his career. His wife’s family is from Branson, and the couple returned to the area to seek care for Jeff near the end of his life.

ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that attacks motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord, and affects muscle function. There is no cure.

The yearly golf tournament and auction is held at the LedgeStone Championship Golf Course in StoneBridge, near Branson. The event is scheduled for Sept. 9 and 10. For more information on the tournament, visit www.thejulian.org. To learn more about the CoxHealth Foundation, visit www.coxhealthfoundation.com.

Osmonds Christmas show to benefit Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals

Your donation to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals at CoxHealth is your admission to “Miracle on 76 Boulevard,” the Osmonds' 2011 Christmas show. This two-hour holiday show will feature the traditional fun and festivities of the holidays, plus performers The Tinocos and the Thomas Brothers, with CMN Hospitals Miracle Kids and their families as special guests.

“Miracle on 76 Boulevard” will be held Friday, Nov.11, and Saturday, Nov. 12, at 8 p.m., in the Caravelle Theater, 3446 76 Boulevard, in Branson.

Money raised during these special shows will benefit the CoxHealth CMN Hospitals C.A.R.E. Mobile, a pediatric clinic on wheels that offers basic health services to children across the Ozarks. The C.A.R.E. Mobile is available to children who have no health insurance, who do not have a primary care physician, or whose parents cannot afford to pay for necessary medical services.

Call 417-336-6100 for reservations. For additional information contact CMN Hospitals at 417-269-5437 or Tammy Felton at 417-766-9502.

Healthy recpies for Food Day

Dietitian Sherry Neal and dietetic intern Kelly Striker prepare butternut squash and pear soup during the Food Day demonstration at the Cox South cafeteria.

CoxHealth will celebrate Food Day on Oct. 24 with special menu selections in all Springfield cafeterias, recipe card handouts and a cooking demonstration at Cox South.

Food Day is designed to raise awareness about healthy, affordable food produced in a sustainable, humane way. Staff from Wellness, Fitness Centers and Food and Nutrition Services departments encourage us to think about how we can “eat clean” and “eat local” by purchasing locally grown food that is less processed and has less packaging.

“The quality of the food we eat can have a major impact on our overall health,” says Cindy Fluekiger, assistant director of Food and Nutrition Services. “We’re recognizing this day so we can all think about how to become healthier by consuming more whole foods that are grown right here at home.”

For a list of farmers’ markets, family farms and other resources for locally grown food, visit localharvest.org.



Apple Crisp

Yield: 6 ¾-cup portions

Ingredients

6 cups Local Braeburn Apples

¾ cup Lite Brown Sugar

¾ cup Rolled Oats

1 tsp. Cinnamon

½ cup Cubed cold butter

½ cup flour


Heat Oven to 375

Peel and core apples, Dice into ½“ cubes

Place apples in 9x13 pan

Combine brown sugar, oats, flour and cinnamon in medium bowl. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle sugar mixture over apples. Bake 30 minutes or until apples are tender and topping is golden brown. Serve warm

Per Serving: 252 calories; 15 grams fat; 156 mg. sodium; 29 gm. carb


Butternut Squash

Yield: 4 - 4 oz. servings

Ingredients:

1½ # Butternut squash

¼ cup Lite Brown Sugar

4 tbsp Butter

Dash pumpkin pie spice

Heat Oven to 350

Peel squash, then slice in half and take out seeds. Cut squash into ¾” cubes. Toss the squash with brown sugar and butter; sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice. Lay out on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.

Bake for 20 minutes. Stir.

Bake an additional 15 minutes or until squash is slightly caramelized abound the edges.

Per Serving: 164 calories; 15 grams fat; 154 mg. sodium; 8 gm carb

Roasted Rosemary Red Potatoes

Yield: 5 portions

Ingredients:

1½# Red “A” locally grown potatoes

2 ounces Pure Olive oil

¾ tsp Kosher Salt

½ tsp Ground Black Pepper

1 tbsp. Minced Garlic

2 tbsp. Minced French Rosemary


Preheat oven to 350

Wash the potatoes, cut in quarters

Toss potatoes with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic and rosemary

Once well coated, spread on baking sheet

Roast for 1 hour. With spatula turn the potatoes twice during the roasting process

Make sure the potatoes are golden brown and crisp on the outside and tender on the inside.

Per serving: 207 calories, 11 grams fat, 297 mg. sodium, 25 gm. carb


Yankee Pot Roast

Yield: 10 portions

Ingredients:

¼ cup olive oil

3 # Top Round Roast

1/3 cup Flour

½ # Pearl Onions

¼ # Baby Carrots

¼ # Diced Celery

1 Tbsp. Chopped Garlic

3 All Spice Berries

1 cup Burgandy Wine

24 ounces Beef Broth

2 Tbsp. Cornstarch

3 Tbsp. Water

Heat the oil in a heavy, cast iron pot over medium heat. Dredge the roast in flour, shake off the excess, and brown in the hot oil on all sides. Stir in the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and allspice; cook until lightly browned. Pour in the red wine and bring to a simmer before pouring in the beef broth. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until the beef is tender, about 2 to 3 hours. When the meat has finished cooking, remove to a cutting board and allow to rest for 10 minutes. While beef is resting, thicken the cooking liquid with the cornstarch. Slice the beef and serve with the gravy.

Per Serving: 379 calories, 23 gm fat, 331mg. sodium, 9 gm. carb

It’s time to 'tune in' to annual CMN Hospitals Radiothon

Listen to the 2011 Radiothon to benefit Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals at CoxHealth on Power 96.5, and be a part of making miracles happen on the medical mile.

The Power 96.5 team will broadcast live, play the area’s favorite music, and share stories and interviews with area families who have been helped by your generous donations to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.

The event will air Thursday, Oct. 6, and Friday, Oct. 7, from 6 a.m. – 6 p.m.; and Saturday, Oct. 8, from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals of CoxHealth is a non-profit organization that provides financial assistance for sick and injured children living in the Ozarks. All proceeds benefit Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals’ projects such as the C.A.R.E. Mobile, purchase medical equipment, provide financial assistance to children’s families and more. CoxHealth underwrites all administrative expenses of the charity locally, so that every dollar raised stays in our community and helps children. For more information on Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals or to donate, visit www.coxhealth.com/cmn.

Working to move patients safely

John Schurke, environmental access specialist at Cox Home Support, and Mandy Young, clinical therapist educator in Educational Services, practice with one of the ceiling-mounted patient lifts that will be used during training. As part of the safe patient handling initiative, a number of ceiling lifts have been installed in patient rooms throughout Cox South and additional portable lifts that can help staff members move patients are now available. Home Support has long provided the devices for home use and leaders say having more lifts available in the hospital will reduce injuries for staff and be more comfortable for patients.

If there’s any doubt about how physically demanding providing care at the bedside can be, the national statistics make it clear: health care workers suffer more overexertion injuries than any other type of worker and they have, on average, 30 percent more lost work days due to injury than the general working population.

The biggest culprit leading to those injuries? Moving and transferring patients. Between assisting non-ambulatory patients and repositioning patients in their beds, a typical health care worker may lift a total of 1.8 tons during the course of an 8-hour shift. It’s a reality that has led CoxHealth to launch a safe patient handling initiative that kicks off this month, with education and the addition of several devices that will help make moving patients safer.

Norma Curry, director of Nursing, says the initiative is about changing the culture of how caregivers handle patients. The goal is to move away from manual lifting and toward the use of devices that are safer and more comfortable for both staff and patients.

“Current practice involves taking multiple staff members to the bedside to move or transfer a patient,” Curry says. “Too frequently, our staff members are being injured.”

Those injuries not only affect the individual staff members, they cost the organization in a number of ways, including time lost when employees must be off from work and the cost of providing medical care for injured employees. Nationally, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration is recommending that hospitals minimize manual lifting of patients and eliminate lifting altogether where possible. Nine states have passed legislation mandating safe patient handling programs and Missouri is expected to follow later this year.

To make the situation safer for staff and patients, CoxHealth has added a number of ceiling-mounted lifts, mobile devices and slide sheets that will help move patients. Education on the new devices will begin later this month.

“This approach is safer and more comfortable for patients,” Curry says. “It’s more comfortable to put them in one of these lifts or use slide sheets rather than lifting them under their arms.”
When the project is complete, every adult critical care bed will be equipped with a ceiling lift and nursing units will have a minimum of one room with a lift installed. Some units, such as the eighth floor, will have more lifts based on the need.

Nurse Sandi Brown has also joined CoxHealth as safe patient handling coordinator, Brown has worked in nursing for 37 years and has an extensive rehabilitation background as well as experience working with caregivers on the importance of proper body mechanics, safe lifting and the best ways to move patients.

“When you look at the number of injuries we see, we simply have to change our practice habits,” Brown says. “About 12 percent of the nursing work force nationally is affected with back injuries, that’s high in an area with a shortage of nurses.”

Jolene Palmquist, director of work injury in Rehab, says many injuries caregivers experience are the result of repeated movements, rather than a single incident. That’s why it’s so important to shift the culture of how patients are moved daily with the addition of simple devices such as slide sheets that will reduce the effort needed to adjust patients in their beds.

Ultimately, leaders agree that the changes proposed in the initiative are simply the right thing to do, both for employees and for patients.

“We’ve invested in it with the idea of keeping patients and employees safe,” Palmquist says. “That will lead to staff and patient satisfaction. When people are looking at hospitals of choice, they’ll be glad to know that CoxHealth has prioritized the safe handling of patients.”

Cox College enrollment up 23 percent

Student enrollment at Cox College has reached an all-time high, with 812 students enrolled during the fall semester. This is a 23 percent increase over the same semester last year, and an 84 percent increase over the fall semester in 2008.

“The numbers are up across both the nursing and health programs, with the most significant growth the in the Master of Science in nursing program,” says David Schoolfield, Cox College dean of enrollment management. “The demographics of our students are also changing as more students are seeking a second degree due to the economy.”

Cox College was founded in 1907. The college offers certificates in medical transcription, and medical billing and coding; Associate of Science degrees in radiography, medical assisting and nursing; a Bachelor of Science in nursing degree; a post-baccalaureate dietetic internship and a Master of Science in nursing degree.

Support drives healthy lifestyle changes

Since the rollout of the Employee Health Initiative this past January, a team of experts at CoxHealth — from Food and Nutrition Services and Wellness to the fitness center and Healthy Partners — has been focused on providing the resources to help employees get healthy.

As they work toward their wellness goals, the Support Your Lifestyle Shift support group has given employees a place to share experiences and get motivated about staying healthy.

“Most people know what they need to do, it’s just a matter of doing it,” says dietitian Jenny Gardner, who runs the support group. “That’s why the support, motivation and accountability factors are so important.”

The group meets every other week on Tuesdays at 11:30 (September dates are the 6th and the 20th). The half-hour sessions let employees come during lunch. Gardner shares recipes and answers any questions participants may have. The group is a regular source of encouragement and accountability, which Gardner says are keys for anyone wanting to make a change.

“We really want to offer the service of helping people change their lifestyle,” she says.

The benefits of that service are apparent when you meet a few of the employees who are taking advantage of what the group has to offer. Below are two stories of how our co-workers are getting healthier with the help of resources here at work.


Diane Flammini
Communications

When Diane Flammini joined the Wellness program at Cox in 2010, she says she was inspired by an upcoming change in her life: she was going to be a grandmother.

“I thought, in the shape I’m in, I won’t be able to get in the floor and play with a child,” she says. “I wanted to get some of the weight off.”

She started exercising 5-6 days a week and she soon lost a few pounds and a few inches, but she quickly became frustrated with her progress. She met with dietitian David Dade, who recommended that she change the way she was eating. He worked with her on creating a 1,300 calorie-a-day diet, which Diane started in January of 2011. Since then, the combination of diet and exercise has helped her shed more than 35 pounds.

Diane says to make the change, she wanted to take advantage of all of the programs Cox has to offer. That’s why she started going to the Shift Your Lifestyle support group. The low-calorie recipes and shopping tips were helpful and Diane used the meetings as her regular weigh-ins.

“I’m one of those people who hate the scale, but it was good to see that weight loss each time. It‘s a reality check every couple of weeks,” she says. “The other people there talked about the difficulties they were having and I could relate. It became a real support group.”

In her diet, cutting out sugar has been a major key. She’s also switched to eating more frequent, smaller meals consisting of vegetables, fruits and lean meats like fish.

Sticking to the low-calorie diet was a challenge at first, but Diane says she learned about what kinds of foods could keep her feeling full without being high-calorie. Now she prepares her own food and rarely eats out, which makes it easier to manage her food intake

“The first two weeks were the hardest,” she says. “I was always hungry, especially after I exercised. David (Dade) suggested I have a glass of chocolate milk after a workout and that really helped.”

After the first few weeks, she stopped craving sweets and she was able to clear out her cabinets at home, removing cookies and chips and adding healthier options. Now she’s eating well and doing regular resistance training and cardio training at the Meyer Center.

She says anyone wanting to make a real lifestyle change will need to make those changes a priority and part of their regular schedule. That’s where benefits like the support group are helpful.

“Employees are crazy not to take advantage of programs like this,” she says. “These programs are there and we should take advantage of them, it’s been good for me.”


Cortney Freeman
Corporate Integrity

Over the last several months, Cortney Freeman says the wellness support and resources offered at Cox have helped her make health and fitness a central part of her lifestyle. If you need any evidence, check out her office in Corporate Integrity, where her desk chair is relegated to a corner while she balances at her desk on an exercise ball.

Freeman says she wanted to work on being healthier and when she saw the announcement about the Shift Your Lifestyle support group, she thought it could be a perfect fit.

“I wanted to take advantage of the free expertise,” she says. And that’s exactly what she did, attending every meeting since day one. “You have access to a trained dietitian provided by Cox. I’d be crazy not to take advantage of that.”

She started going to the support group and she rejoined the Wellness program. When she started seeing results, her husband, Brandon, joined in, which provided another boost to her efforts.

“That really made a difference, when you change your lifestyle, it’s not just your life here at Cox, it’s your whole life,” Freeman says.

And it’s important to note that the programs and the support group aren’t just about losing weight. “I’ve changed my lifestyle, I’m not on a diet, there’s no end date and the only goal is being a healthier person.”

Freeman and her husband have a 3-year-old and a 1-year-old, and keeping up with the two of them has been a major motivation for her change.

“I want to be in a healthier place to play with them and show them a healthy relationship with food. Weight loss is just an extra benefit.”

Working with Gardner has given her new ideas that have kept her diet and exercise programs fresh. In the past, she says she’s been bored with eating a limited number of dishes.

“They introduce new concepts and recipes and just having someone there to answer questions is great,” Freeman says. At home, Cortney and Brandon are also exploring new food options, beyond the meat and potatoes they had eaten in the past, adding in plantains, mangoes, grilled vegetables and turkey burgers. “My husband can almost admit that he likes turkey burgers as well as beef.”

She says spending time with her co-workers in the support group has helped her maintain the perspective and mindset needed to continue her success.

“When you surround yourself with people who have the same goals and are striving toward a healthy lifestyle, you can learn from them,” she says. “When you pass them in the hall, you know that they’re having the same struggle you’re having. You’re not alone.”

Now, the Freemans have worked exercise into their lifestyle. During the summer, if they go to the pool, they ride their bikes instead of driving. They’ll walk to the park or go on bike rides at the Nature Center instead of watching TV.

“My 3 year old will say, ‘I need to go for a walk around the neighborhood, I need my exercise,” Freeman says. “That’s a payoff, just being able to show her a healthy lifestyle.”