Winter 2012Medical Milestones

Painful SightPage 8

Rock DocPage 12

InnovationsPage 4

Faith-Based Medicine

memorial

Page 10

There are many ways to measure progress in the healthcare industry as we track every chart, graph and number. One of the indicators of success that we focus on is the quality of service we bring to our community and our patients.

We received word in October that Lake Charles Memorial Health System was awarded the 2012/2013 Consumer Choice Award! This award is based on the National Research Corporation Ticker data, which is the largest consumer survey on healthcare in the United States. Our community has ranked Lake Charles Memorial at the top of the list based on four essential consumer metrics: Best Overall Quality, Best Image/Reputation, Best Doctors, and Best Nurses.

This is the first year Memorial has received such an honor and we have you to thank for that. You have recognized our hard work to bring the most comprehensive, quality health care to the area.

The doctors at Memorial are top notch. Our physicians have trained at the some of the top schools and clinics in the country, but have chosen to come to Lake Charles because of the quality of life we offer here. And we can’t say enough about the job our nurses and caregivers do each and every day. They are on the front lines striving to make our patients and families feel comfortable.

While we celebrate this latest milestone, we know our work is far from over. Here at Memorial we want to continue to raise the bar of excellence.

We will continue to make Lake Charles Memorial Health System everything your healthcare should be. That is our motto and mission, not only to bring you the latest in quality medicine, but to administer it with a compassionate touch.

Thank you for your trust. It makes us work even harder.

To our community

PHYSICIAN REFERRAL • 1-800-494-LCMH (5264) 2

Larry Graham, CEO

“Our community has

ranked Lake Charles

Memorial Hospital at the

top of the list based on

four essential consumer

metrics: Best Overall

Quality, Best Image/

Reputation, Best Doctors

and Best Nurses.”

Innovations 4LIFT SMART

Personal Care 6Recovering from pelvic pain

Painful Sight 8Eye Clinic and LCMH team up

Cover Story 10Fairth-based medicine

Physician Spotlight 12Kevin Young, MD: Rock Drummer

Leveling the Playing Field 14The Foundation for Fairplay

Coming Events 16Education Classes and Support Groups

Letters 19High Tech, High Touch

Medical Milestonesmemorial

3

Page 4

Page 6

Page 10

Page 12Page 19

On the CoverRev. David DeWitt in the Memorial Chapel.

Innovations

lift smart

4

Living Injury Free Together using Safe Moving and Repositioning Techniques

Memorial Hospital Physical Therapist Haleigh Lyons helps patient Annette Fontenot stand with the SARA Plus standing and raising aid, a part of Memorial’s new patient lift equipment.

Lake Charles Memorial Health System has embarked on a new program to help protect patients from falls and staff from injuries. LIFT SMART (Living Injury Free Together using Safe Moving And Repositioning Techniques) arrived October 22.

The investment involves the purchase of equipment that will be used to mobilize patients in various hospital settings.

“We know that improper lifting resulting in back injuries is the number one injury for nursing,” says Tracy Ellender, a registered nurse at Memorial. “At the end of our shift, we will have lifted a total of about 3,600 lbs., which is equal to the size of a small car.”

In a partnership program, the Diligent™ clinical consultant team trained and mentored the medical staff on the new lift equipment. It is a partnership that will span three years. The Diligent safe patient handling program has reduced patient handling incidences, nationwide, by more than 80 percent.

“We decided to make a culture change at Memorial with our new LIFT SMART Program,” says Dionne Francois, physical therapy manager at Memorial. “Our goal is simple, to reduce the risk of injury to patients and healthcare workers during patient movement and transport. Our new lift equipment is a proven tool that helps achieve these objectives.” Preventing patient falls is a key quality goal of Memorial’s. Another major goal is to reduce the number of back injuries suffered by Memorial staff.

Prior to the development of lifting systems, nurses, physical therapists and other healthcare providers routinely assisted patients in a wide range of transfers

that required risk to both the patient and the healthcare worker, for example, moving a heavy patient from the bed to a wheelchair.

“Nursing is the number one profession for the risks of strains and sprains,” Francois says. “Research shows about half of all nurses and radiology technicians have reported chronic pain or an injury that can be traced back to patient handling activities. We want to prevent our employees from ending up as one of those statistics.”

The new LIFT SMART program will also help patients by increasing the patient’s physical activities. This can lead to a decrease in their recovery time, along with improvements in respiratory system, circulatory systems and muscle strength and gate stability.

lift smart

5 PHYSICIAN REFERRAL • 1-800-494-LCMH (5264)

Giving Patients a Lift!

Memorial Hospital Registered Nurse Tracy Ellender (left), lifts patient Phyllis Sexton with the help of certified nurse assistant Twanna Ward (right) using the Maxi Move, a part of Memorial’s new patient lift equipment.

6

Personal Care: Recovering from pelvic pain

Donya Louviere lived with pain

in her lower abdomen for 10

years. It was only recently that

the cause was finally pinpointed.

“I was just diagnosed with IC, interstitial cystitis, and instead of doing surgery they wanted to try therapy first,” she recalls. “I’m glad I did because I have seen results. I’m much more comfortable going out in public, because you just don’t realize how many women have this problem.”

Johnnie Kleinschmidt and Donya Louviere

7 PHYSICIAN REFERRAL • 1-800-494-LCMH (5264)

Personal Care: Recovering from pelvic painInterstitial cystitis (IC) is a condition where the lining of the bladder is inflamed all the time. Doctors are not sure what causes it, but patients that have it, typically have constant pain. They are sensitive to certain food and drink and have to follow a specific diet. The bladder is in a constant spasm, which can cause problems with a person’s bathroom habits.

Donya was told to go see Johnnie at Memorial of Women. Johnnie is Johnnie Kleinschmidt, a woman with a sparkling personality and a reputation of getting the job done!

She is not your typical physical therapist though. Her work is highly specialized, as she deals specifically with women’s health and the muscles of the pelvic floor. She does, however, also treat men and children.

“We do pain control just like you would if you go to therapy in a traditional clinic,” Johnnie says. “We do electrical stimulation, heat, ice, massage, exercise. I do all the traditional things, but more tailor-made for the pelvic area of the body.”

Her specialties include treating urinary incontinence, pelvic pain, certain types of lower back pain and levator ani syndrome, which happens when muscles in the pelvic floor are locked up and spasm.

One type of pelvic pain is endometriosis. This happens when cells from the lining of the uterus appear and flourish outside the uterine cavity. Another is helping pregnant women with pre and post partum pain.

Treating these conditions, Johnnie goes to great lengths to make sure her patients feel the treatment is very private. It is an hour of one-on-one time with the therapist who has a constant smile and a knack for turning patients into friends.

“Using biofeedback, we look at their pelvic floor muscles on the computer,” she says. “I make them work out while hooked up to the computer. I assess their muscle strength, their muscle tone, their coordination, their endurance.”

Johnnie Kleinschmidt and the biofeedback technology

She teaches her patients how to isolate and work certain muscles, so they are not using the wrong group of muscles.

In Donya’s case, Johnnie was able to pinpoint another problem that needed treatment. In addition to IC, Donya was suffering from pudendal neuralgia, an inflammation of the pudendal nerve that runs to the pelvic muscles.

Today, Donya lives a pain free life. The burning feeling she had in her bladder is gone and bathroom accidents seem to be a thing of the past.

“Therapy is very soothing. After I walked through the door, the nerves were gone. I now look forward to coming because it has helped me so much,” Donya says. “Patients shouldn’t be scared, nervous or ashamed. It’s just one of those things that we have to deal with sometimes. It’s life and if you want to feel better and you want to get better, come see Johnnie.”

Pain and blurred vision plagued Mandeville resident Val Zimmer for some 20 years. Zimmer, now 47, first noticed the problem in his early 20s.

“At first it felt like something was in my right eye. It was irritating and then became painful,” he recalls. “I saw an eye doctor here in New Orleans and was told I had a pterygium.”

It is difficult to pronounce - te rij jee em – and even more difficult to live with. Ophthalmologist A. J. O’Byrne with The Eye Clinic explains that a pterygium is a benign growth at the surface of the eye.

“A pterygium occurs when the conjunctiva, a membrane that covers the white of the eye, grows into the cornea, the clear

covering over the front of the eye,” he says. “We call it ‘benign’ because it’s not invasive, or cancerous, but that doesn’t mean it’s harmless. A pterygium can be very painful. These growths may be small, but can grow large enough to interfere with vision.”

In his work with a film production company, Zimmer spent a lot of time outside and under lights, elements which Dr. O’Byrne says likely contributed to his condition. Exposure to ultraviolet light, such as the sun, and dust are believed to contribute to the development of a pterygium.

Zimmer’s New Orleans doctor told him the only treatment was surgery to remove it, but warned him that the growths often return. He had the surgery, which involved an incision and stitches.

High Tech Option Makes Painful Eye Condition Disappear

8

Recurrent Pterygia?

Val Zimmer lived with a

petrygium for close to

20 years before finding

a permanent solution in

Lake Charles.

Painful Sight

“It was not a pleasant experience. My stitches came undone and I had to go back in to have the tissue repaired,” Zimmer recalls. “A few years later I had a growth in the left eye and had that one removed the same way. Then I found out my doctor was right several years later. The growths came back – in both eyes.”

The last thing Zimmer wanted was to have to go through that surgery again. He set out to find a better solution. Phone calls were made to doctors all over the country with no luck. His researched continued and an online article brought his quest to Lake Charles.

Dr. O’Byrne teams up with Lake Charles Memorial Hospital (LCMH) radiation oncologist Dr. James Maze for a relatively new, minimally-invasive procedure that provides a more successful outcome for pterygium removal.

“We remove the growth and instead of stitching it closed at the site, we put an amniotic membrane graft over the site to promote healing,” Dr. O’Byrne says. “This heals much more quickly and with much less chance of scarring.”

The next step involves a short course of low-dose radiation therapy administered by Dr. Maze.

“This type of radiation is comparable to an X-ray, so it’s painless and very low-risk,” Dr. Maze says. “The radiation suppresses the growth of blood vessels that can lead to the return of the pterygium. It’s this

additional step that helps prevent recurrence with such a high rate of success.”

Dr. O’Byrne has performed the newer removal technique more than 700 times and has had a less than one percent recurrence rate over six years. With a traditional pterygium surgery, there is a greater than 50 percent chance of a recurrence.

The Eye Clinic and Memorial is the only team in Louisiana that currently offers this type of treatment and has seen patients roll in from the south’s bigger cities.

People with this condition are often desperate for a better option, and unfortunately, many cases go untreated because most eye doctors believe that the pterygium will recur. So, they tell their patients it is not worth the pain, time or expense to treat it.

Luckily for Val Zimmer, he searched for the right treatment himself.

“I wish I had known about this when I was first diagnosed, and I wish I had not put off looking for a better treatment as long as I did,” Zimmer says. “It was so much simpler than the surgical treatment and it’s such a relief to have the pain and irritation removed.”

For more information about pterygium treatment, call The Eye Clinic at 478-3810 or 1-800-826-5223.

Dr. James Maze (left) and Dr. A.J. O’Byrne team up to treat pterygiums.

PHYSICIAN REFERRAL • 1-800-494-LCMH (5264)9

Only this time, the need is not for medical treatment or an emergency surgery. What is in need…is a medicine of a higher calling.

Reverend David DeWitt is an ordained United Methodist pastor, chaplain and head of Memorial Hospital’s pastoral care.

“Patients are admitted and they entrust their lives to our doctors and nurses, and then they turn to me for pastoral care,” Rev. DeWitt says. “They open their lives up to the burdens, the troubles they face. They really open up their souls. I feel like that is like walking on holy ground for me. It’s very humbling.”

Rev. DeWitt has spent 21 years at Memorial working to fulfill every need a patient and/or family may require, from fetching a simple cup of water to administering a sacrament.

Research has shown that spiritual care and faith can be just as important as physical medicine. There are many studies that prove spiritual care reduces patient anxiety, reduces patient depression, possibly reduces patient stay and results in better outcomes.

It is 2 a.m. and the telephone rings

pulling David DeWitt from his deep

sleep. On the other end is the hospital

nurse, asking him to make his way in

because a patient is in desperate need.

Faith-Based MedicineCover Story

Rev. David DeWitt10

11 PHYSICIAN REFERRAL • 1-800-494-LCMH (5264)

Faith-Based Medicine

“By nature hospitals are ground zero for some of the most difficult days in a person’s life,” Rev. DeWitt says. “We prepare for death and dying. It’s a big part of our life, but I see many more miracles, good outcomes and healings.”

Southwest Louisiana is a fortunate community where local ministers and pastors are very active, caring for their church members and visiting them. Rev. DeWitt works with all denominations to make sure requests are filled and needs are met.

Right alongside Rev. DeWitt in his daily ministry is Father Beni Wego, a member of the Society of the Divine Word, ministering to the Roman Catholic patients.

“There are things in life that happen to people and, God have mercy, if I could change them I would do it. If a doctor could change them, they would do it,” Father Wego says. “In all these situations, whatever they might be, I must be prepared to serve these people.”

Patients aren’t the only ones who receive pastoral care. He makes sure nurses and other medical staff do something called psychological fist aid. Before anybody heads to another case they take “10 around the coffee pot,” meaning they regroup and refocus.

When he walks out the hospital doors and enters his family home, any stresses the job might have brought that day are left at the door. After all, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can become vicarious. Still it has never been a problem in the DeWitt household.

As a minister, priest or pastor, one must practice a lot of self-care, self-awareness and of course daily prayer. The invaluable tools that keep moving them along, motivating them, inspiring them are their call to ministry, which is just as fresh today as it was before they went to seminary.

“There are a lot of good things that happen here, a lot of good things. There is so much hope this hospital brings to the people and the community,” Rev. DeWitt says. “We can’t always control the outcome, but we can be loving caring agents in that whole process as we work our way through it.”

Fr. Beni Wego

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...and the beat goes on.He specializes in caring for

one of the most complex

organs of the body by day

and turns to the rock ‘n’ roll

sounds of the 60s and 70s

at night. Dr. Kevin Young is

not your typical cardiologist.

He is also a rock drummer.

Pull up to his house at night

and you will hear the faint

old rock ‘n’ roll sounds of The

Beatles, Rolling Stones, Led

Zeppelin and others. Walk

in the door and the music

will lead you to an upstairs

room full of musicians that

share his same passion.

Music is his release.

Rock Drummer

Physician SpotlightKevin Young, MDCardiologist

13

Rock Drummer

“I started playing drums when I was about 10-years-old. There was a little local band that played at the community center where I grew up. Whenever they were there I would go and listen to them,” Dr. Young recalls. “I was absolutely mesmerized by the drummer who had an old set of beautiful Ludwig champagne sparkle drums.”

He sat there for hours intrigued by what he heard and saw. The experience set him on a path to drum lessons and then, as a member of his school’s concert and marching bands.

He joined various other bands around town, playing for school dances, clubs and wedding receptions. The list goes on and on. That is where you would find him every Friday and Saturday night until he headed off to medical school.

“In my early college years, I took a dedicated pre-med track from that point forward,” Dr, Young says. “I lost my father in 1979 to a heart attack and at that time I was a junior medical student. That sort of solidified my interest in medical school.”

The University of Louisville in Kentucky is where he received all of his training, becoming a cardiologist in 1985. He was working in southern Indiana when the opportunity came for him to move to Lake Charles and Memorial Hospital.

You can find Dr. Young at the Heart and Vascular Center (HVC), a part of Memorial Medical Group. As a board certified interventional cardiologist, he specializes in cardiac catheterization, treating blocked arteries with stents, and pacemaker and defibrillator implantation and surveillance.

“As an affiliate physician for Memorial, it allows me to be unencumbered by the business aspect of running, owning and operating a practice, which can be a terrific headache,” Dr. Young says. “I simply want to come here and treat patients, practice medicine and not try to be a business man.”

Over the years there have been some long stretches where he didn’t play very much music, but he always kept his drums set up. Today, it seems, he is back in the game.

Dr. Young is part of a seven member band called Honey and the Wannebees. They meet every Tuesday night at his house in that upstairs room, practicing a variety of classic rock, top 40 and other party and dance tunes for some upcoming gigs.

“I’ve enjoyed the social aspect of it and re-honing some of my skills,” Dr. Young says. “Of course now, I want to buy a new set of drums and I’m almost to the point where I’m collecting them. One day I look forward to restoring some old classic vintage type drum kits.”

Honey and the Wanna-Bees

PHYSICIAN REFERRAL • 1-800-494-LCMH (5264)

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“The greater lake area has some of the finest athletic programs in the state, but the reality is that some are better equipped to compete due to their ability to attract greater financial support” says Dr. Brett Cascio, orthopaedic surgeon and medical director of Memorial’s Sports Medicine Program. “The Foundation for Fairplay Fund’s purpose is to provide a more level playing field in the areas of preventable injury needs.”

The fund will assist schools is acquiring equipment such as

quality football helmets, training room equipment needed for the rehabilitation of sports-related injuries and creating safe physical fitness surroundings.

In just a few months, F3 has already awarded more than $17,000 to local high school athletic programs. It is only the beginning for a program aimed at supporting the young athletes of Southwest Louisiana. To learn more about F3 or to make a donation call 337.494.3226.

La Grange High School received a $6,000 donation towards the refurbishment of four training tables and the purchase of 20 new Riddell® Revolution® Speed Helmets.

The Foundation at Lake Charles Memorial Hospital has established a new fund to assist schools with minimal donor support with health-related athletic needs – the Foundation for Fairplay Fund (F3).

Foundation for Fairplay Fund

Leveling the Playing Field

F3 Board of Directors

Distribution Committee Dr. Brett Cascio

John CondosGeorge Jordan

Charles WhitsonLeif Pedersen

Advisory Board Ran Prince

Mickey MossLee Mallett

Richard WilsonDrew Shirley Steven Liles

Carol SensleyPatricia PrebulaHarold Rowland

PHYSICIAN REFERRAL • 1-800-494-LCMH (5264)

Bell City High School received a $1,600 donation that purchased a Mettler Sys*Stim® 226 neuromuscular stimulator.

Washington Marion High School received a $5,000 donation

that purchased 20 new Riddell® Revolution® Speed Helmets.

Iowa received $4,500 that purchased 10 new Riddell® Revolution® Speed Helmets and 10 Riddell® Power® Extreme SPX™ shoulder pads.

15 PHYSICIAN REFERRAL • 1-800-494-LCMH (5264)

Calendar of EventsSupport Groups

COPING WITH CANCER

For those cancer patients who are newly diagnosed, undergoing

treatment, or who have completed treatment. For more

information call Memorial’s Chaplain, Rev. David DeWitt at (337)

802-1933.

Third Tuesday of Each Month • Chaplain’s Office

Noon – light refreshments served

DESIGNER GENES

A support group by and for the parents of children with genetic

disorders. Located at Memorial Hospital for Women, 1900 W.

Gauthier Road. For more information, call the group’s founders,

Ashleigh Hornsby (337) 853-7657 or Jessi James (337) 563-1178.

Second Saturday of Each Month

Memorial for Women • Noon

DIABETES SUPPORT GROUP

Don’t underestimate the importance of education and peer

support when living with diabetes. Located at Memorial’s

Diabetes Education Office, 1801 Oak Park Boulevard. For more

information, call Memorial’s Diabetes Education at (337) 494-

6425.

First and Third Tuesday of Each Month

Diabetes EducationOffice • 10am – 11am

SISTERS SURVIVING

A breast cancer support group for African-American women, but

open to any woman regardless of race. For more information,

call (337) 433-5817.

Third Tuesday of Each Month

MOB II Conference Room • 6pm

LOOK GOOD, FEEL BETTER

Looking good can often be an important step toward feeling

good - especially for women who are fighting the cancer battle.

With that in mind, Memorial and the American Cancer Society

are offering women struggling with cancer - the diagnosis,

treatment and concerns about their appearance - a

chance to Look Good...Feel Better. For more information, call

(337) 433-5817.

Third Monday of every other month

Shearman Conference Room

5:30pm - 7:30pm

SARCOIDOSIS SUPPORT GROUP

A group for people in our area dealing with this incurable

disease, to come together to share their stories, health tips and

support. For more information, call Sabrina Sonnier at (337) 842-

5939.

First Tuesday of each month

Shearman Conference Room

6pm - 7pm

LA LECHE LEAGUE

A breastfeeding group, La Leche League offers a series of

meetings consisting of four classes that are helpful for pregnant

moms and moms who are already nursing. Meetings are free and

open to mothers and babies.

First Thursday of Each Month

Memorial for Women Education Room 2

10am – 11:30am

blood drive

COMMUNITY BLOOD DRIVE

Approximately half of the nation’s blood supply is collected at

blood drives. Memorial partners with United Blood Services to

provide for our patients. Join us for the next Community Blood

Drive, which will be held in the parking lot across Oak Park

Boulevard from Memorial’s main entrance. For more information,

call (337) 235-5433.

Fourth Monday of Each Month

2pm – 6pm

16PHYSICIAN REFERRAL • 1-800-494-LCMH (5264)

Winter 2012-2013

PREPARED CHILDBIRTH CLASS 4-WEEK SERIES

This class is highly recommended for its hands-on, and often

fun, approach to dealing with labor, delivery and recovery. Birth

preparation is discussed regarding natural delivery, birth with an

epidural and cesarean birth. Bring your pillows, your questions

and don’t forget to breathe. Recommended during the last three

months of pregnancy. Tuesdays,

Jan 8, 15, 22, 29, 2013

March 5, 12, 19, 26, 2013

6:30pm – 8:30pm

$35/Couple

ONE DAY PREPARED CHILDBIRTH CLASS

Learn comfort, relaxation, positioning, breathing, and massage

techniques for increasing the comfort level and enhancing the

birth experience during this condensed version of the Prepared

Childbirth Series. Recommended for the last 3 months of

pregnancy. Saturdays.

February 16, 2013 & April 13, 2013

9am – 4:15pm

$35/Couple

BREASTFEEDING CLASS

Learn positioning, latch-on, early feedings and the importance

of assessing baby’s intake during the Breastfeeding Class.

Recommended during the last 3 months of pregnancy. Thursdays.

December 6, 2012, January 24, 2013, February 21, 2013, March 21,

2013 & April 11, 2013

6:30pm – 8:45pm

$10/Couple

SIBLING CLASS

This class is recommended during the last three months of

pregnancy. Preparing siblings for the arrival of a new baby can be

as confusing as it is joyous. This class focuses on the unity of the

family. Older siblings ages 2-10 are asked to attend with one or

both parents. The children will have hands-on practice with dolls

to learn how to interact with a new baby. Parents will receive

informative guidelines and everyone will tour the mother/baby

unit. Mondays.

December 3, 2012, January 21, 2013 & March 18, 201

6pm – 7pm

$10/Family

BABY CARE CLASS

The Baby Care Class reviews newborn characteristics, general

baby care, early parenting issues and community resources.

Recommended during the last 3 months of pregnancy. Mondays.

January 14, March 4 & April 15, 2013

6:30pm – 8:30pm

$10/Couple

INFANT AND CHILD CPR CLASS FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS

Learn and practice rescue for choking and CPR for infants. This

is NOT a certifying or credentialing course, but is recommended

for expectant parents, new parents and support persons.

Tuesday, November 27, 2012, Thursday, January 31, 2013

Monday, March 11, 2013 & Tuesday, April 16, 2013

6:15pm – 8:30pm

$10/Person

SAFE SITTER

The best sitter is a safe sitter! The Safe Sitter® Class is designed

for boys and girls ages 11 to 13. Sitters learn safety tips, how to

recognize a medical emergency, what the appropriate action

should be during an emergency, such as when a child or infant is

choking, and how to have fun with children. Wednesdays.

June 12, June 19 & July 10, 2013

$35/Sitter

17

Registration is required for all classes. For more information or to register, call 480-7243. All classes are held in the education rooms at Memorial for Women, 1900 W. Gauthier Road. Tours are available after all prenatal classes and at 1:30pm on the first Thursday of each month.

Prenatal and Family Education Classes

PHYSICIAN REFERRAL • 1-800-494-LCMH (5264) 18

Many patients find that their need for care does not end when leaving the hospital or doctor’s office. For those patients, care at home can be a comfort and a necessity.

“Lake Charles Memorial Home Health coordinates a full range of specialized home care services,” says registered nurse Tammie McCracken. “We partner with your physician to develop an individualized plan of care of the highest quality and with the utmost compassion. Services range from basic medical care to making sure your home provides a safe environment for you.”

Memorial Home Health offers private duty nursing 24 hours a day. All private duty cases are evaluated and supervised by a team of RNs, LPNs and pediatric LPNs. Certified nursing assistants help patients with their daily living activities and individual needs.

Two more registered nurses and a physical therapist have recently been added to the experienced staff. Plus, Home Health has joined the ranks of those using electronic medical records.

“Nurses take lap tops with them on visits to log notes on patients,” McCracken says. “This allows patient information to be more secure and made available to the entire Home Health team, offering an uninterrupted continuum of care for the patient.”

Memorial’s Home Health is licensed by the state of Louisiana and accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. It covers a 50-mile radius that includes Calcasieu, Cameron, Jefferson Davis, Allen and Beauregard Parishes. A registered nurse is always on call to assist patients with their needs.

For more information, contact Lake Charles Memorial Home Health at 337.494.6444 or www.lcmh.com/home-health.

Care Beyond the Hospital Doors

Tammie McCracken, RN

Letters

Charles and Irma Andrus

Several years ago, my husband was admitted to Lake Charles Memorial for a colon resection. We knew going in that the diagnosis for cancer was positive. A CAT scan indicated there was no metastasis to other organs. However, there is always the possibility of a microscopic spread to area lymph nodes that cannot be seen by the naked eye.

We knew we would not have that information until after a tissue examination could be completed following the surgical procedure. We were prayerfully hopeful that this last hurdle would indicate that we were home free. It was not to be.

The surgeon came to our room to give us the news. My husband took it with much greater acceptance than I. My world fell in on me. I was so immobilized and panicked that, to this day, I can’t remember any of the lengthy conversation that the surgeon had with my husband. I was stuck in time and unable to function. As a take charge person, this was totally out of character.

At this point I sensed someone at my side. The registered nurse who was making rounds with the surgeon apparently was very aware of my panic and paralysis. Without a word, she put an arm around my shoulders, gave me a comforting squeeze and smiled. She turned her attention back to her patient and the doctor, but kept her arm around me as though I were her total charge. Standing in the comfort and warmth of her encircling arm, the synapses in my brain began to speak to each other and I became functional.

Somewhere in time I have heard the expression, “High Tech, High Touch!” The action of this special nurse characterizes that expression as well as the care climate at Memorial.

1701 Oak Park BoulevardLake Charles, La 70601337-494-3000

please give us your opinion.community health needs assessment survey

Lake Charles Memorial Health System invites you to participate in our Community Health Needs Assessment Survey to help

us check our community’s “vital signs” so we can determine the most pressing healthcare issues for our area. In the survey,

you’ll be asked a variety of questions concerning health, wellness, and community health resources. The survey should take

about 5 minutes to complete, and responses are strictly confidential. Your responses will be combined with other responses

and data from this research will be reported on a combined basis.

thank you for helping to decide the health needs of our community!

How Does It Work?The CHNA (Community Health Needs Assessment) is completely anonymous and voluntary.

Why Participate?Memorial is conducting a study to identify the most important health issues in our community.

The report will help us make decisions about the future of health care and disease prevention in

southwest Louisiana.

Who Should Participate?We encourage all individuals 18 years or older, living or working in Calcasieu Parish to take the on-

line survey. It will take about 5 minutes to complete.

How do I Participate?To begin the survey, go to http://LakeCharlesCHNASurvey.questionpro.com

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