Piedmont Newnan Hospital Receives Generous Donation

$5.1 million gift is largest in Piedmont Healthcare history.

The Piedmont Newnan Hospital replacement facility on Poplar Road will offer enhanced services in the areas of interventional radiology, surgery, emergency care and women’s and neonatal services thanks to a major boost from Newnan Hospital Inc.  Newnan Hospital Inc. (NHI) has made a historic gift valued at over $5.1 million to Piedmont Newnan Hospital, the largest, private, one-time gift in Piedmont Healthcare’s 105-year history.    

Newnan Hospital Inc. is the legal entity that was the previous owner of Piedmont Newnan Hospital and continues today with a mission to support healthcare-related needs and initiatives to improve the healthcare of the local community.

“We are building a new hospital today because of the vision and perseverance of the Newnan Hospital Inc. Board of Directors,” said Michael Bass, president and CEO of Piedmont Newnan Hospital. “This transformational gift demonstrates loud and clear Newnan Hospital Inc.’s longstanding commitment to improving healthcare for all citizens of Coweta County. We sincerely thank the board for this most generous gift.”

The gift includes $4 million of enhancements and additions, previously not programmed into the scope of the replacement hospital. A major portion of the funds will purchase medical equipment in interventional radiology services and will enable the build-out of two additional surgical suites, including one with enhanced capabilities for urological procedures. The additional rooms will improve scheduling and availability of surgery and other procedures for patients and doctors.

In addition, it will provide further enhancements to the emergency department, including multi-purpose, ceiling equipment booms in the trauma rooms to keep the floors clear of diagnostic equipment; a faster, 64-slice CT scanner; and critical care monitors compatible with future technology.  Additionally, pediatric and infant resuscitation equipment and infant warmers will be purchased for exclusive use in the emergency department, rather than be shared with the labor and delivery unit.  For women’s and neonatal services, the donation will allow the provision of dedicated NICU incubators with resuscitation capability in all rooms, including delivery rooms.

In making the announcement, Tom Moat, president of the Newnan Hospital Inc. Board of Directors, expressed the board’s feeling on how important it is for NHI to be involved in providing the best possible hospital for residents of the Coweta community.

 “Piedmont is going to provide our community with a new, state-of-the-art hospital, and we believe it is important for Newnan Hospital Inc. to take the lead in helping augment vital services in the new facility,” said Moat. “We can help provide enhanced services that will benefit all of us for many years.” 

“Having been in the hospital business for almost 90 years, our board recognizes that community support includes both using services available at our local hospital and supporting it financially,” added Moat. “We are grateful to Piedmont Healthcare for all they are doing by building a new hospital facility. We want to help through these donations and hope this will encourage others to support further development of the new hospital and advance healthcare in our community.”

The gift also includes the property on the court square in downtown Newnan, which serves as the Piedmont Newnan Hospital Wellness Center. Valued at $840,000, Piedmont Newnan Hospital will continue operating the downtown Newnan Wellness Center for the community.

The third element of the gift is an additional $260,000 set aside for the utilization of the original Newnan Hospital campus, located at 80 Jackson Street. This campus currently houses both the Piedmont Newnan Hospital Ambulatory Surgery Center and the Piedmont Heartburn Treatment Center. These services will be relocated to the new facility on Poplar Road, scheduled to open in the spring of 2012.

“This gift from Newnan Hospital Inc. represents the largest one-time gift in Piedmont’s history and sets the stage for fundraising efforts to support the new hospital,” said R. Timothy Stack, president and CEO of Piedmont Healthcare. “To the 500-plus annual donors who already support Piedmont Newnan Hospital, as well as our Auxilians and our community, this contribution makes a bold statement that through philanthropy, we have the ability to make a tremendous impact on the quality of local healthcare in the communities we serve.”

This gift is the largest in a series of recent gifts made by NHI to benefit healthcare in Coweta County.  Earlier this fall, NHI announced a $2 million gift to University of West Georgia’s School of Nursing; a $1 million gift to West Georgia Technical College, benefiting the allied health sciences programs; and another $1 million contribution to the new Coweta Samaritan Clinic.
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Piedmont Fayette Hospital and Piedmont Heart Institute Physicians Partner with US AGAINST ATHERO to Educate on Heart Disease

Piedmont Fayette Hospital and Piedmont Heart Institute Physicians have teamed up with US AGAINST ATHERO, to bring the Artery Explorer experience to Piedmont Fayette Hospital at 1255 Highway 54 West in Fayetteville, Ga. In addition to this unique educational experience, visitors will have a chance to have their blood pressure checked and learn their body mass index (BMI). The event is Tuesday, October 26 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Wednesday, October 27 from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.

As part of US AGAINST ATHERO, the Artery Explorer is touring the country to increase awareness of atherosclerosis—the dangerous buildup of plaque in the arteries. This incredible virtual experience allows viewers to surf through arteries on a journey deep inside the body. The movie demonstrates how risk factors like high levels of bad cholesterol, smoking and high blood pressure can contribute to the buildup of plaque in arteries.

Coronary heart disease and stroke kill more Americans every year than all cancers combined. Atherosclerosis, or athero for short, is often the leading cause. It is the progressive buildup of plaque in the arteries linked to about one in four deaths in the United States each year. For more information, call 770.719.6060 or visit athero.com.
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State Approves Piedmont Fayette Hospital CON Applications for NICU Expansion

“Keep Babies in Fayette” Support Made a Difference
The Georgia Department of Community Health announced Monday its approval of Piedmont Fayette Hospital’s Certificate of Need (CON) applications to expand its Level II neonatal intermediate care unit and to establish a Level III neonatal intensive care unit to care for fragile newborns who are born here.

“We are excited about moving forward with these important services and want to extend our heartfelt thanks to the community for its support of our Keep Babies in Fayette initiative,” said W. Darrell Cutts, president and chief executive officer of Piedmont Fayette Hospital. “The numerous individuals who signed our petition and championed this cause have been vital in ensuring that we will now be able to establish the services necessary to provide the highest level of care for our smallest patients and their families.”

The state’s decision to approve the CON applications comes at an important time for the hospital. Since September 2006, when the hospital started offering obstetric services, over 6,700 babies have been born at Piedmont Fayette Hospital, and the need for such services has grown tremendously. The approved expansion of the Level II intermediate care unit will mean that the need for neonatal care close to home can be accommodated within the planned capacity.

The absence of a Level III neonatal intensive care unit has meant that babies who required more specialized care were transferred to other facilities, forcing families to travel for sometimes over an hour to visit and assist in the care of their sick or premature newborn. Some mothers have travelled outside the community to give birth, anticipating the need for Level III care for their baby. Now, Piedmont Fayette Hospital will be able to offer these highly specialized services, keeping babies closer to home and with their families.

Piedmont Fayette Hospital intends to start construction by December 2010 and offer these expanded critical services close to home beginning in the summer of 2011.
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Piedmont Hospital’s Transplant Services Continues to Enhance Patient Care By Launching Satellite Offices throughout Georgia

Piedmont Hospital Brings Dalton Its First Transplant Clinic

Piedmont Hospital Transplant Services is pleased to announce the opening of a new satellite transplant clinic in Dalton, Ga., on Friday, October 23. This facility will support continued efforts to enhance patient access to transplantation evaluation and follow-up care with strategically located satellite clinics throughout the state of Georgia.

These area clinics will make access to care more convenient for those patients who live long distances from Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta and reduce the initial evaluation time for kidney transplant candidates from two days to one.

“We are pleased and privileged to bring Dalton its first transplant clinic, increasing access to services for transplant patients across north Georgia and southeastern Tennessee,” said Mark Johnson, M.D., program director of Piedmont’s Transplant Services. “This clinic will provide pre- and post-transplant care to end-stage kidney and pancreas patients.”

Piedmont’s first satellite clinic opened in Savannah, Ga., in December 2007, and a second clinic opened in Albany, Ga., in February 2009. Each clinic offers education classes for those interested in the advantages and risks of transplantation, provides extensive information about the costs of post-transplant medication and how one can plan to meet those costs. Initial candidate screenings will be performed by a transplant physician and/or nurse specialist, allowing patients with potential disqualifying issues to take corrective action before making an appointment for a full evaluation at the Piedmont Hospital Mason Transplant Clinic in Atlanta.

Piedmont Hospital has one of only two adult liver transplant programs and one of three kidney/pancreas transplant programs in Georgia.

The new satellite transplant clinic in Dalton is located at 1109 Burleyson Road, Suite 101 Dalton, GA 30720, and will initially offer services for those with kidney and pancreas disease. For more information on the Piedmont Hospital Transplant Services Dalton Satellite Clinic, call 888-605-5888.
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Piedmont Fayette Hospital Hosts Prostate Cancer “Ask the Doc” Session in Recognition of Prostate Cancer Awareness Month

PFH is Proud to Now Offer Brachytherapy for Prostate Cancer Patients

According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer found in American men. September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, and Piedmont Fayette Hospital (PFH) and the American Cancer Society want to help educate men about this disease which will affect one in six men in their lifetime.

Man to Man, the prostate cancer support group held monthly at PFH, will hold a special “Ask the Doc” session at its next meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 22, at 7 p.m. at Piedmont Fayette Hospital’s 1279 Building, in the 3rd floor conference rooms. Medical oncologist Jonathan Bender, M.D., and urologist Scott Shelfo, M.D., will lead the discussion and answer questions concerning prostate cancer.

This free and informative session will feature a variety of topics including risk factors, diagnosis, treatment options, and ways to control recurrent cancer. Participants will also learn more about the plans for the new cancer center at Piedmont Fayette Hospital, as well as new cancer treatments available at PFH, including brachytherapy, a cutting-edge treatment for prostate cancer.

Brachytherapy allows radiation to concentrate more on cancerous cells, therefore inflicting less damage on normal cells. This unique type of radiation therapy allows higher doses of radiation to be administered as close to the cancer as possible over a shorter period of time.

In brachytherapy, small radioactive isotopes are placed in seeds, wires and rods called implants and then placed in the body. There are two types of brachytherapy placement: temporary and permanent. Temporary brachytherapy uses higher doses of radiation in the implants, which are removed after treatment. Permanent therapy uses small implants, which are inserted directly into the tumor, with smaller doses of radiation that remain in place after radiation is complete.

Man to Man support group is held on the 4th Tuesday of each month from 7 to 9 p.m., and provides a forum for men and their partners to discuss diagnosis, treatment options, and quality-of-life issues surrounding prostate cancer. This program will be followed by a period of questions as well as a time for sharing experiences.

The presentation is open to the public. For more information on the event, please call Man to Man coordinator Jim O'Hara at 770-632-2898, or Lisa Cockerham of the American Cancer Society in Peachtree City at 770-631-0625. For more information on cancer services at Piedmont Fayette Hospital, visit fayettehospital.org.

About Piedmont Fayette Hospital
Named one of the nation’s Most Wired hospitals for five consecutive years in the 100 Most Wired Survey and Benchmarking Study, Piedmont Fayette Hospital (PFH), ranked third in patient satisfaction among metro Atlanta hospitals according to the HCAHPS (Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems) survey released in March 2009. One of the nation’s 100 Top Hospitals® four years in a row (2004-2007) according to Thomson Reuters (formerly Solucient), Piedmont Fayette Hospital is a 143-bed, acute-care community hospital located on Highway 54 in Fayetteville, offering 24-hour emergency services, medical and surgical services, as well as obstetrics, diagnostic cardiac catheterization and rehabilitation services. With over1,100 employees and a medical staff of over 500 physicians, PFH is a member of Piedmont Healthcare (PHC), a not-for-profit organization that also includes Piedmont Hospital, a 481-bed acute tertiary care facility offering all major medical, surgical and diagnostic services located on 26 acres in the north Atlanta community of Buckhead; Piedmont Mountainside Hospital, a 42-bed community hospital in Jasper; and Piedmont Newnan Hospital, a 143-bed, acute-care community hospital in Newnan. Piedmont Healthcare also is the parent company of the Piedmont Heart Institute (PHI), which combines over 60 renowned cardiologists in the Piedmont Heart Institute Physicians with over 30 offices across north Georgia, and the 162-bed Fuqua Heart Center of Atlanta; Piedmont Philanthropy, the philanthropic entity for private fundraising initiatives; the Piedmont Physicians Group, with over 100 primary care physicians in 30 offices throughout metro Atlanta; and the Piedmont Clinic, a 600-member physician network. For more information, visit fayettehospital.org.
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Piedmont Fayette Hospital Celebrates Its Neonatal Nurses

September 15 is National Neonatal Nurses Day

In recognition of National Neonatal Nurses Day on Tuesday, Sept. 15, Piedmont Fayette Hospital would like to shine the spotlight on its neonatal nurses for the outstanding care they provide to patients.

“Sometimes we don’t say ‘thank you’ enough to our employees,” said Darrell Cutts, president and CEO of Piedmont Fayette Hospital. “This day is a chance for us to tell them how much we appreciate the top service they give to some of the smallest patients in our community.”

The Neonatal nursing team at Piedmont Fayette Hospital specialize in comprehensive care for premature and compromised infants from gestation of 28 weeks and greater. These nurses are charged with monitoring ventilators and incubators, making sure the baby is responding and checking for complications. Often nurses must be available to check on an infant every 15 minutes to record health parameters.

“Neonatal nurses are the ones we trust to take care of our most sensitive newborns and help prepare them to go home,” said Cutts. “Piedmont Fayette Hospital is proud to celebrate these nurses who so carefully and professionally look after our precious new loved ones.”

Take the time on Tuesday, Sept. 15, to thank and honor any neonatal nurses you know. For more information on Piedmont Fayette Hospital’s neonatal services, visit fayettehospital.org.
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Piedmont Fayette Hospital Auxiliary Hosts Blood Drive

Piedmont Fayette Hospital's Auxiliary will host an American Red Cross Blood Drive on Thursday, Aug. 13, from noon until 5 p.m. The American Red Cross bloodmobile will be located in the parking area of Piedmont Fayette Hospital’s 1279 Building. The current blood supply has dropped critically low throughout the Southeast according to the American Red Cross. Donors of all blood types are welcome, but there is an urgent need for type O negative, B negative and A negative blood donors. Giving blood is simple and convenient, you must be healthy, at least 17 years old and weigh at least 110 pounds. You must not have donated whole blood in the last 56 days.

Donating blood is a simple process that helps to save more than five million people in need of blood transfusions each year in the United States, according to the American Red Cross. Blood is needed every two seconds in the United States for emergency medical situations. It is always needed for the treatment of accident victims, cancer patients, hemophiliacs and surgery patients. Please call the Piedmont Fayette Hospital Auxiliary office at (770) 719‑7098 for more information or to schedule your appointment. Walk-ins are welcome; however appointments will be honored first.
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Piedmont Fayette Hospital offers New Breast MRI Services

Piedmont Fayette Hospital is proud to offer breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) services utilizing the Invivo Breast Coil and the Siemens Magnetom Espree MRI scanner. The Magnetom Espree’s extra-large opening means it can comfortably accommodate patients of all sizes and is perfect for those who get anxious or claustrophobic during an MRI or anyone who just likes more space. This enhanced technology means Fayette community members now have access to diagnostic MRI services for breast cancer in addition to regular screening and diagnostic mammograms, and breast ultrasound scanning.

Breast MRI — is an imaging technique that captures multiple cross-sectional pictures of the breast. Breast MRI involves combining the images and using a computer to generate detailed 2-D and 3-D pictures. A breast MRI isn't used routinely for breast cancer screening, but can be performed when your doctor needs more information than a mammogram, ultrasound or clinical breast exam can provide.

“Breast MRI’s should not be considered as a replacement procedure for mammograms,” said Debora Coursey-Prah, M.D., of Piedmont Fayette Hospital’s Women’s Imaging Center and board-certified radiologist. “Mammography is still a very important component of early detection, but the availability of breast MRI’s will allow us to better treat and diagnose patients so they continue to receive the best quality care possible.”

The breast MRI procedure is relatively simple and painless. It is performed through the use of a large magnet, radio waves, and a computer to process the scan information. The images created provide a comprehensive picture of the entire breast, chest wall, and surrounding tissues.

“This is a sophisticated diagnostic procedure, administered by our staff of highly-trained and experienced radiologists and technologists, using state-of-the-art diagnostic imaging equipment,” said Darrell Cutts, president and CEO Piedmont Fayette Hospital. “We are committed to providing access to the best technology we can in order to find breast cancer early and, in turn, treat it successfully.”

The American Cancer Society recommends annual MRI’s for women at high risk due to strong family history, a genetic predisposition or other reasons. As many as 1.6 million women in the U.S. fall into this high-risk category. The guidelines stress that the exams should be done in addition to annual mammograms as well as regular physical exams in the hope of driving down the death toll from the common and widely feared malignancy.

A breast MRI may be recommended if:

You've been diagnosed with breast cancer and your doctor wishes to determine the extent of the cancer.
Your doctor finds a suspicious area on your mammogram.
You or your doctor can feel a mass or other lump in your breast, but it's not detectable on mammogram or ultrasound.
You notice a breast lump or other breast change after surgery or radiation therapy and it's not detectable on mammogram or ultrasound.
Your doctor wants to monitor your opposite breast after you've been newly diagnosed or treated for breast cancer in the other breast.
You have a suspected leak or rupture of a breast implant.
You're at high risk of breast cancer, defined as a lifetime risk of 20 percent to 25 percent or greater.
You have a strong family history of breast cancer or ovarian cancer.
You have very dense breast tissue and your prior breast cancer wasn't detected on mammogram.

Conversation with your physician is the best place to start. For more information on the PFH Women’s Imaging Center and breast cancer services, please call 770-719-6629 or visit http://www.fayettehospital.org/.
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Piedmont Fayette Hospital Now Offers Weekend Heart Disease Screening

Saturday Morning Appointments Available for CT Coronary Calcium Scans

Cardiovascular disease remains the number one killer of Americans according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The American Heart Association’s 2008 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics Report estimates that one in three American adults suffers from one or more types of cardiovascular disease. In order to increase awareness and promote early detection and education, Piedmont Fayette Hospital (PFH) is now offering CT Coronary Calcium Scans, a quick and painless method for the detection and risk assessment of coronary artery disease, on Saturday mornings.

“To better accommodate our community, we are happy to now offer this service on Saturdays,” says Dr. David Bodne of PFH. “CT Coronary Calcium Scans help physicians determine patients’ risk for heart disease, even if they do not currently have symptoms. Early detection can make an enormous difference in treating heart disease.”

A 64-slice CT (computed tomography) scanner is used for cardiac scoring, a statistical estimate of your likelihood of getting heart disease. The multi-slice scanner takes pictures of your heart and determines how much calcium build-up is in your arteries, a direct indication of heart disease. Calcium build-up is associated with atherosclerosis, which can harden the arteries and restrict the blood flow to the heart, potentially leading to a heart attack.

This simple non-invasive procedure only takes 15 minutes. The multi-slice CT scanner provides multiple images of the heart. The “slices” are actual pictures taken in tiny increments, one at a time, to get the sharpest image of the human heart.

Based on the amount of calcium build up, each patient is given a score. Typical scores range from zero to a high of 3,000. A “zero” calcium score is great news and indicates a reduced chance that a heart attack will occur. A score of 125 in any of the three coronary arteries suggests a more than 50 percent chance that there will be narrowing of at least 50 percent of the artery. After the CT scan your results and score are forwarded to your physician who will use them to assess your risk of heart disease.

PFH has a variety of cardiac and preventative health services available to patients in order to help them to lower their risk for heart disease and continue to lead healthy and active lives. These include a cardiac rehabilitation program, regular health screenings and the PFH Rehabilitation and Fitness Center.

A doctor’s referral is required for the CT Coronary Calcium Scan. Patients should consult with their physician in order to learn more about this screening. Appointments are required, as a limited number of spaces are available per Saturday. The cost of this procedure is $125 and must be paid at the time of registration. Please call 770-719-7007 to schedule an appointment, or for more information visit www.fayettehospital.org.
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Piedmont Hospital Named 2009 Most Wired Hospital for Sixth Consecutive Year

Piedmont Hospital has been named one of the nation’s Most Wired hospitals, according to the results of the 2009 Most Wired Survey and Benchmarking Study released in the July issue of Hospitals & Health Networks magazine. Three of the five Georgia hospitals named to the list are part of the Piedmont Healthcare system.

Piedmont Hospital has been named for six consecutive years, while Piedmont Fayette Hospital, also a winner this year, has been recognized for five consecutive years. Both hospitals are the only two in the metro Atlanta area to be named to the 2009 list. This is the second year for Piedmont Mountainside Hospital in Jasper, Ga., to be named in the small and rural category.

“We are proud the Most Wired Survey and Benchmarking Study has recognized Piedmont Hospital for the sixth year in a row as a Most Wired hospital,” said Robert Maynard, president and CEO of Piedmont Hospital. “This recognition shows our dedication to quality and excellence in the use of information technology to improve patient care and safety.”

The Most Wired Survey is conducted annually by Hospitals & Health Networks magazine, the journal of the American Hospital Association, which uses the results to name the 100 Most Wired hospitals and health systems. It focuses on how the nation’s hospitals use information technologies for quality, customer service, public health and safety, business processes and workforce issues.

“The economic slowdown is forcing hospitals to look closely at IT spending,” says Alden Solovy, executive editor of Hospitals & Health Networks magazine. “Most Wired hospitals are doing their best to stay the course.”

To complicate matters, the great unknown of healthcare reform looms in the near future and a number of regulatory changes are already heading down the pike, including the shift to ICD-10, which hospitals use to code the signs, symptoms and causes of injury or diseases.

“As the health reform debate continues, it’s clear that IT will play an even more important role in the health system of tomorrow,” says Rich Umbdenstock, president and CEO of the American Hospital Association (AHA). “Most Wired hospitals help illustrate IT in action—improving efficiency, quality and safety of care while helping to control costs.”

Hospitals also continue to invest in IT that supports quality and safety initiatives. Investment in electronic medication management is considered one of the fundamentals of using IT to improve care. The 2009 Most Wired Survey and Benchmarking Study shows an overall increase in both provider order entry of medications and electronic bedside matching at the time medications are administered.

Hospitals & Health Networks conducted the 2009 survey in cooperation with McKesson Corp. and the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives. The July H&HN cover story detailing results is available at www.hhnmag.com.
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Cancer Wellness at Piedmont Fayette Hospital Offers Cancer WellFit™

Cancer Wellness at Piedmont Fayette Hospital offers Cancer WellFitTM as part of Get a Move On, a combination nutrition and exercise program for breast cancer patients and survivors. Recent studies show the tremendous benefits a healthy diet and regular exercise can have for breast cancer survivors in reducing both the severity and rate of recurrence of the disease. Cancer WellFitTM is a safe, inviting exercise program to improve the physical health and quality of life for people with cancer.

The program offers eligible participants one-on-one exercise consultations with a degreed exercise physiologist plus twice weekly group exercise classes. The program is offered on Mondays and Wednesdays from 4 to 5 p.m. in the PFH Rehabilitation and Fitness Center in the Fayette Professional Center, directly across from the hospital.

To register call 770-719-7290 or for more information visit piedmontcancerconnection.org or fayettehospital.org.
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Piedmont Physicians Group Welcomes Eden Fleming English, M.D.

New Location Opening in Ball Ground

Piedmont Physicians Group (PPG) welcomes Eden Fleming English, M.D., to its healthcare team beginning July 13. She will be opening a new PPG location at 470 Valley Street, Ball Ground, GA 30107.

Dr. English is an experienced physician specializing in internal medicine for adolescents and adults ranging in age from 16 and older. Her special interests include diabetes care, weight management and women’s health issues. She received her Bachelor of Science from Tufts University in Medford, Mass. and earned her medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta, Ga. She then completed her internship and residency in internal medicine at Atlanta Medical Center.

Prior to joining Piedmont Physicians, Dr. English practiced at WellStar Cobb Medical Group and WellStar Physicians Group in Austell, Ga. She is also board-certified in internal medicine and a member of the American College of Physicians and the American Medical Association.

“We are very excited to have Dr. English joining us, and are thrilled to be opening Piedmont Physicians at Ball Ground,” said Berney Crane, CEO of Piedmont Medical Care Corporation, the administrative parent corporation of the Piedmont Physicians Group. “She brings new energy and expertise to the Piedmont Healthcare family.”

Dr. English accepts most major insurance plans and is available for appointments beginning Monday, July 13. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. To schedule an appointment, please call 678-454-6800. For more information visit piedmontphysicians.org.
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Sleep Your Way to Better Health

May is Better Sleep Month

Tossing and turning throughout the night? Do you daydream about a good night’s sleep? While not getting the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep a night may seem like a minor problem, it can be more serious than most people think. While Don Davis was undergoing treatment at Piedmont Fayette Hospital (PFH) for another health problem, he found out just how serious a sleep problem can be.

In 2007, Davis’s PFH doctors began to notice a problem in his sleeping. He periodically stopped breathing during the night. This problem had been affecting him for about three years, but he did not think it was serious enough for him to seek treatment.

At the encouragement of his doctor, Davis decided to visit the Sleep Center at PFH to determine what was causing his sleep problems. He went to the Sleep Center for an initial consultation where they explained to him the entire process of his sleep study. Davis returned for his visit a few weeks later and thought that he slept soundly through the night of his study. Instead, he found out that he suffered from sleep apnea.

“I always knew that I was tired during the day, but I never knew that it was related to sleep apnea,” said Davis. “I was relieved to find out what the problem was and anxious to get it rectified.”

Davis returned to the sleep center to undergo a sleep evaluation for his treatment. He now uses a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine to help him sleep throughout the night. Davis returns to the sleep center for checkups and has noticed a great difference in his sleep since beginning his treatment.

“I would definitely recommend a trip to Piedmont Fayette’s Sleep Center for anyone who is tired in the middle of the day or has shortness of breath. It is well worth it, I have more energy and feel better,” said Davis.

Connie White-Daniel, RPSGT, clinical manager of the Piedmont Fayette Hospital Sleep Center, encourages individuals with sleep issues to learn about the diagnosis and treatment options available.

“The proper quality, as well as proper amount of sleep time can have an incredible effect on your health and your daily routine,” said White-Daniel. “We work with our patients to help them develop a healthy sleep pattern so they are able to have energy for the important activities in their lives.”

May is Better Sleep Month and Piedmont Fayette Hospital is encouraging you to make the effort to improve your sleeping habits. Approximately 70 million people in the United States are affected by a sleep disorder. Forty million Americans suffer from a chronic sleep disorder, and an additional 20-30 million are affected by intermittent sleep-related problems.

There are more than 80 different forms of sleep disorders affecting people of all ages. National Sleep Foundation (NSF) found that sleep deprivation and sleep disorders are estimated to cost Americans more than $100 billion annually in lost productivity, medical expenses, sick leave, and property and environmental damage. Common symptoms of sleep disorders to be aware of are daytime fatigue, inability to sleep for long periods of time, and breathing difficulties during sleep.

“Some things people do not realize about sleep are the effects it has on long and short-term memory as well as regulating hormones,” said White-Daniel. “This includes growth hormone which is important for children to grow but also affects the aging process in adults.”

Some of the more common sleep disorders are insomnia, sleep apnea and snoring. Insomnia is an experience of inadequate or poor quality sleep as characterized by one or more of the following sleep complaints: difficulty initiating and maintaining sleep and waking too early in the morning. Obstructive sleep apnea is a disorder in which breathing is briefly and repeatedly interrupted during sleep and can cause fragmented sleep and low blood oxygen levels. Snoring is defined as “breathing during sleep with hoarse or harsh sounds as caused by the vibrating of the soft palate.” Snoring can be an indication of sleep apnea, a risk factor for vascular complications such as hypertension and congestive heart failure. Snoring may cause fragmented sleep which may lead to daytime dysfunction.

Piedmont Fayette Hospital’s Sleep Center is a six-bed facility which provides diagnosis and treatment of all sleep-related disorders for adults and for children over the age of three. The Sleep Center works with primary care physicians and specialists to provide comprehensive care for adults and children who have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep during the night, excessive daytime sleepiness, insomnia, snoring, sleep apnea and other sleep-related conditions.
The Sleep Center has a group of seven multi-disciplinary physicians, all of whom are either board-certified or board-eligible sleep specialists. They are also board-certified in their respective primary fields of otolaryngology, neurology, or pulmonology. People who experience sleep-related problems should discuss their symptoms with the primary care physician or other medical specialist. For more information, call the Piedmont Fayette Hospital Sleep Center at 770-719-6031 or visit www.fayettehospital.org.
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Piedmont Mountainside Hospital Hosts Dessert and Discussion with the Doctor

Piedmont Mountainside Hospital invites residents in Pickens County and the surrounding communities to a Dessert and Discussion event on Thursday, June 19 at 5:30 p.m. in the New Education Room, Lower Level. Bryan D. Hooker, M.D. will lead the discussion, “Medicare Hospice Benefit: What it Provides for you and your Family.”

Under Medicare, hospice is primarily a program of care delivered in a person’s home by a Medicare-approved hospice organization. Reasonable and necessary medical and support services for the management of a terminal illness are furnished under a plan-of-care established by the beneficiary’s attending physician and the hospice team. It is available as a benefit under Medicare Hospital Insurance (Part A). Medicare beneficiaries who choose hospice care receive non-curative medical and support services for their terminal illness.

“Hospice care is a special way of caring for a patient whose disease cannot be cured,” said Dr. Hooker. “Rather than spending the last few days or months of life in a hospital, patients can receive individualized care at home or in a hospice setting.”

Dr. Hooker is a member of the medical staff at Piedmont Mountainside Hospital. He received his medical degree from the University of Alabama School of Medicine in Birmingham, Alabama. He then completed his internship and residency in internal medicine at Emory University Affiliated Hospitals in Atlanta.

Registration is required for this free event as seats are limited. The dessert begins promptly at 5:30 p.m., and the lecture follows at 6 p.m. To register, please call 1-866-900-4321. To learn more about Piedmont Mountainside Hospital, please call 706-301-5300 or visit www.piedmontmountainsidehospital.org.

Ed Lovern Appointed Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer for Piedmont Healthcare

Ed Lovern has been named executive vice president and chief administrative officer of Piedmont Healthcare, effective July 1, 2008. R. Timothy Stack, president and CEO of Piedmont Healthcare, made the announcement.

Lovern has served as president and CEO of Piedmont Mountainside Hospital since August 2004. Previously, he was executive vice president of Corporate Services for Piedmont Healthcare. He joined Piedmont in 2002 and worked on a variety of key growth initiatives. Over the past four years, he has guided Piedmont Mountainside Hospital as it has doubled patient volumes, completed a major expansion, and won prestigious awards, such as the Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals’ Small Hospital of the Year designation in 2006. Piedmont Mountainside Hospital also received national recognition for improvements in patient satisfaction and technological advancements during Lovern's tenure.

“Ed is an extraordinary leader and has a unique ability to get things done,” said Stack. “In his tenure at Piedmont Mountainside, he has helped Piedmont establish a footprint of world-class healthcare for the Pickens County community. We now call on his expertise to guide several key strategic business components of Piedmont Healthcare for the benefit of all those we serve.”

Lovern said, “The last four years have been among the most exciting and rewarding of my career. I have been privileged and honored to work with the employees, physicians and volunteers and with this wonderful community.” Lovern was named CEO of the Year by the Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals in 2006.

An interim president and CEO for Piedmont Mountainside Hospital, effective July 1, 2008, will be named in the near future.

Before coming to Piedmont in 2002, Lovern was the Washington, D.C., bureau chief for Modern Healthcare, a weekly healthcare business magazine. He also served in various executive roles at Borgess Health Alliance, a five-hospital regional healthcare system in Kalamazoo, Mich.

A native of Lynchburg, Va., Lovern holds a bachelor of arts degree from Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Va., and a masters in health administration from Virginia Commonwealth University. He and his wife, Ginny, have two children and currently reside in Marietta.

PIEDMONT NEWNAN HOSPITAL RECEIVES STATE APPROVAL OF CERTIFICATE OF NEED FOR NEW HOSPITAL FACILITY

Piedmont Newnan Hospital has received approval on its Certificate of Need (CON) Application for a replacement hospital facility from the Georgia Department of Community Health, Division of Health Planning. The application was submitted in late January, and no opposition was filed against the application.

“We are so pleased and excited about this approval," said Michael Bass, president and CEO of Piedmont Newnan Hospital. “We know how anxious the community is for this new facility and appreciate the support of many who have helped in this process.”

“We plan to develop a technologically advanced, healing environment capable of adapting to the growing and ever-changing healthcare needs of the community,” Bass continued.

The facility will be located on approximately105 acres on Poplar Road near Interstate 85. The application defined a 362,376-square-foot, 136-bed hospital facility on nine floors to improve patient access and wayfinding; provide flexibility for changing clinical, technology and community needs; increase operational efficiencies; and accommodate future growth. Private, inpatient rooms will be adaptable to varying acuity needs of patients and will include 14 post-partum beds, 18 critical care beds and 104 general medical/surgical patient beds. The facility will feature 8 operating rooms and 23 patient rooms in the Emergency Department. The new hospital will be designed to provide an optimal setting for efficient, quality patient care.

The hospital will also utilize sustainable building strategies – such as energy efficiencies and water reuse and conservation technologies – in an effort to reduce future operating costs, provide a healthier work environment, and reduce the overall environmental impact of the project. It has been designed to comply with the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™.

Designated green spaces and natural areas will serve to organize the overall campus and provide restorative spaces for patients, visitors and staff. These “green belts” will be used to facilitate wayfinding, extending from public parking to the lobby and along the public mall. The public mall will simplify access to many of the clinical services and destinations for patients and visitors, such as radiology, laboratory, cardiopulmonary and respiratory therapy services.

Phase I of the campus development includes the hospital as well as a support services building to house areas such as human resources, cardiac rehabilitation and education. Plans call for approximately 1,000 parking spaces to accommodate patients, visitors and staff.

Gregory A. Hurst, PNH board chairman and chief operating officer for Piedmont Healthcare, said, “We are appreciative of the State's review and approval of our application as we know how important this hospital is to the entire community. In addition, we value the community for its ongoing support of Piedmont Newnan Hospital during this transition time."

Project costs are $193,680,000. With regulatory approvals in place, construction will begin in October 2008, and the new hospital will open to serve the community by early 2011.

Piedmont Hospital Offers Free Skin Cancer and Stroke Screenings

Piedmont Hospital invites the community to a skin cancer and stroke screening event on Saturday, May 17 from 8 a.m. to noon at the Cancer Center, 77 Building, 5th Floor, Piedmont Hospital, 1968 Peachtree Road, N.W., Atlanta, 30309. In honor of Melanoma Awareness Month in May, Piedmont dermatologists and physicians assistants will offer free skin cancer screenings to the community.

In observance of Stroke Awareness Month, there will also be an opportunity to assess the risk of stroke by Piedmont’s Neuroscience Services. No registration is required, but appointments are recommended for the five-minute skin cancer screening.

The event is free and open to the general public. For more information or to make an appointment, please call 1-866-900-4321 or visit www.piedmonthospital.org.

Piedmont Fayette Hospital and Piedmont Newnan Hospital Celebrate American Heart Month With Free Dessert and Discussion Events

Cardiovascular diseases, including stroke, are the nation’s No. 1 killer, according to the American Heart Association. Join Piedmont Fayette Hospital and Piedmont Newnan Hospital for two dessert and discussion events featuring local cardiologists.

Piedmont Fayette Hospital will host a discussion on "Congestive Heart Failure," led by cardiologist Bukola Olubi, M.D., on Thursday, Feb. 21 at 6:30 p.m. in Conference Room C in the hospital’s 1279 building. To make reservations call 770-719-6060.

Piedmont Newnan Hospital will host a discussion on "Living Heart Healthy," on Thursday Feb. 28 at 6:30 p.m., led by cardiologist George J. Vellanikaran, M.D., in the Special Events Center at 299 Bullsboro Drive in Newnan. To make reservations call 678-854-2471.

Registration for both programs is free and refreshments and door prizes will be provided. For more information on Piedmont Fayette Hospital’s and Piedmont Newnan Hospital’s cardiology services, please visit www.fayettehospital.org or www.piedmontnewnan.org.

PIEDMONT HOSPITAL URGES GEORGIA WOMEN TO GET SCREENED

In 2007, the American Cancer Society estimated there were 11,000 cases of cervical cancer diagnosed in the United States. While cervical cancer is at a four percent decrease overall, thousands of women are still dying as a result of it each year. January is Cervical Cancer Awareness and Screening Month and Piedmont Hospital is encouraging women throughout Georgia to get cervical cancer screenings.

The primary reason for the decline in the incidence and mortality rate of women with cervical cancer is due to the widespread use of the Papanicolaou (Pap) test to detect cervical abnormalities. A Pap test can detect cervical cancer before it spreads or even develops – dramatically improving the odds of surviving the disease, and it is the most important thing women can do to protect themselves from cervical cancer.

“Regular screenings for women are the first defense against cervical cancer,” said Alfred Jenkins, M.D., OBGYN at Piedmont Gynecology Oncology. "If more women were screened regularly, many unnecessary deaths from cervical cancer could be avoided."

The American Cancer Society recommends two ways to prevent cancer: Avoid the risk factors for pre-cancers, such as HPV, and get a regular Pap test. The Pap test can even detect HPV infection and pre-cancers. Treatment of these problems can stop cervical cancer before it develops fully into an invasive cancer.

“Since January is Cervical Cancer Awareness and Screening Month, it is the perfect time to encourage women to see their doctor to get screened for cervical cancer,” Dr. Jenkins said. “I also encourage them to ask their doctor about the HPV vaccine as another method to prevent cervical cancer.”

Dr. Jenkins has been a part of the Piedmont Healthcare family since early last year, working with Piedmont Gynecologic Oncology located on the Piedmont Hospital campus. He also holds part-time office hours at Piedmont Fayette Hospital in Fayetteville. Dr. Jenkins is board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology and gynecologic oncology. Prior to joining Piedmont Gynecologic Oncology, Dr. Jenkins served as director of the Division of Gynecologic Oncology at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center-Orlando. While there, he performed the first gynecologic robotics procedure in the state of Florida. He also performs fertility-sparing surgery for cervical cancer.

PIEDMONT PHYSICIANS AT TATE COMMUNITY CLINIC

The Piedmont Physicians at Tate Community Clinic welcomes Michael A. Suarez, M.D., to its healthcare team.

Dr. Suarez is board-certified in family medicine and has been in practice for over eight years. He earned his medical degree from The Ohio State University College of Medicine in Columbus, Ohio and completed his residency training in family medicine from the University of Florida North Broward Hospital District in Coral Springs, Florida.

Following completion of his residency, Dr. Suarez joined the Watson Clinic in Lakeland, Florida. After two years in Lakeland, he returned to Ohio where he joined Memorial Physicians, Inc. in Marysville. Prior to joining the Piedmont Physicians at Tate Community Clinic, he treated patients at the Doctor’s Office in Hilliard, Ohio.

“We are pleased to welcome such an exceptional physician to the Piedmont family," said Berney Crane, CEO of Piedmont Medical Care Corporation, the administrative parent corporation of the Piedmont Physicians Group. "Dr. Suarez will provide excellent care to our patients.”

Dr. Suarez accepts most major insurance plans and is available for immediate appointments. Office hours are Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Fridays, 8 a.m. to noon. The office is located at 89 Clinic Road, in Tate, Ga. For an appointment, call 770-737-3333.