Healthbeat Summer 2015

Page 1

A publication of Maria Parham Medical Center and The Daily Dispatch • SUMMER 2015

Vast health care offerings Maria Parham’s Center for Rehabilitation helps improve independence

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Nathan Crow, a physical therapist, works with a patient in the gym of the Center for Rehabilitation at Maria Parham Medical Center.

aria Parham Medical Center has long offered a long list of services not typically found in smaller hospitals and its Center for Rehabilitation is a perfect example of the facility’s vast healthcare offerings. The Center for Rehabilitation (CFR) is an 11-bed inpatient (physical) rehabilitation unit designed to assist adults with disabling conditions to improve their independence with daily activities and to help them return to community living. The Center for Rehabilitation team consists of rehab nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, case managers and a medical director. The members of the CFR team get together twice a week to discuss the progress, current needs and future plans of each of the CFR patients. This team-oriented approach is just one of the best-practices they use to meet the individualized needs of each of their patients. There are a variety of patients who come to the center — they may be patients who have had a stroke, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury or orthopedic injury. To qualify for acute inpatient rehabilitation care, the patients need close medical supervision, nursing care and rehab therapy. The SEE VAST/PAGE 2

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HealthBeat

Summer 2015

VAST FROM THE FRONT PAGE

need for close medical supervision and nursing care differentiates them from those needing just therapy and therefore able to receive home health therapy visits. Usually, while the patient is in an acute care setting, the attending doctor writes an order for an inpatient rehab consult. One of the CFR intake nurses does an Admission Assessment Evaluation to determine if the patient is an appropriate fit for the Center for Rehab and shares her findings with CFR’s medical director. If the patient meets the admission criteria, he/ she is then admitted for an inpatient rehab stay. A patient’s length of stay can vary depending on their diagnosis, level of function at admission and their progress throughout their stay. Each day, patients work with the rehab team in order to do what is necessary to get them ready to return home to live as normally a life as possible. Patients typically are very busy from morning to mid afternoon with therapy sessions of some sort. The patients may eat communally in the dining room, allowing them to socialize with each other. There is also a transition suite for patients and their families to utilize when a patient is almost ready to be discharged home. The suite is set up like a mini-apartment, with a sleeping area and a full bathroom. This gives the patient’s family

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t I Members of the Center for Rehabilitation team at Maria Parham Medical Center T get together to discuss a patient’s treatment plan. Shown are (front row, from left) e Patient Case Manager Robbin Dickens, R.N.; Medical Director Cindy Tuten, M.D.; s Occupational Therapist Kim Gouldin, M.S., OTR/L; (back row, from left) Speech and T Language Pathologist Georgia Ferrell, CCC-SLP; Nursing Director Pam Benters, c s R.N.; and Physical Therapist Nathan Crow, P.T. s

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Center for Rehabilitaion Nursing Director Pam Benters, R.N., checks the blood pressure of a patient. an idea of what caring for their loved one at home will be like, almost like a practice run. They can work on transfers from bed to wheelchair, or from wheelchair to toilet or to the bathtub. This can help them decide if they are ready for the responsibility or whether they will need additional help to care for their loved one. Pamela Benters, R.N., nursing director for the Center for Rehab stresses, “The goal of this unit is to help patients achieve a good recovery and independent lifestyle. This requires a determined spirit, patience, and hard work from the patient, as well as a team of dedicated professionals to

lead the way.� The CFR is fully accredited by CARF (Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities). CARF is a private, not-for-profit organization that promotes quality rehabilitation services. It does this by establishing standards of quality for organizations to use as guidelines in developing and offering their programs or services to consumers. CARF uses the standards to determine how well an organization is serving its consumers and how it can improve. For more information about Maria Parham’s Center for Rehab, call the center at (252) 436-6130.

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HealthBeat

Summer 2015

3

ALL ABOUT ALLERGIES

What is an allergy?

The body has defenses against vir tually ever ything. Sometimes, however, the body chooses the wrong defenses to handle cer tain proteins, such as the pollens and molds that come in contact with the nasal passages, eyes, skin and gut. In the case of allergies, the wrong antibody, called IgE antibody, is produced. The IgE antibody attaches to cer tain cells in the skin, nose, lungs and eyes. These cells are called mast cells, and they contain the substances that cause the symptoms of allergies. When the proteins of pollen, mold spores, or dander come in contact with the IgE antibody, a reaction takes place in the mast cell which releases histamine and several other ver y potent substances. These chemicals cause a runny nose, sneezing and watery, itchy eyes — all the symptoms of allergies. Heredity also plays a big role in who will develop allergies. A person has a greater chance of allergies if close relatives have had hay fever, asthma or eczema. Allergies are very common. About 15 percent of Americans have some form of allergies. Checking the blood level of the IgE antibody can be useful in evaluating allergies. A high level will assure your doctor that allergy testing is wor thwhile, while a low level makes it less likely that allergies are the cause of your symptoms and other

treatments may be tried first. Medicines can help many people, and allergy shots can help most people by inducing the body to develop the right defenses, so a medical evaluation can be ver y useful.

What is allergy testing?

Allergy shots are the most specific treatment for allergies. In order to prescribe allergy shots, however, testing must be done to determine which pollens, molds, dusts and danders are causing your allergies. After the exact causes of your allergies are known, your doctor can order serum that helps your body build up the right immunity. Allergy testing is actually fairly simple. For the initial testing, scratches are used. In fact, this is usually all the testing that is needed, unless cer tain allergens, such as the molds, show equivocal results. Scratch testing is done by making a small scratch about 1 ⁄ 8 th inch long. The scratch is so minor that it is dif ficult to see where it is unless the skin r eacts to the solution that is applied. If the test is positive, a wheal of up to 1 ⁄ 4 to 1 ⁄ 2 inch in size, with a larger surrounding area of redness, will develop. Rows of the dif ferent allergens are applied — the animals, dusts, molds, tree pollens, grass pollens and weed pollens. Occasion-

ally, your doctor will test for other allergens, such as foods. When there is some doubt about the significance of a scratch test result, a tiny droplet of the allergen is injected just barely into the skin. This is called an intradermal test. If these are needed at all, usually only a small number are required to confirm scratch tests that were not clearly positive or negative. The scratch tests must develop for 30 minutes before the final reading, and intradermal tests must develop for about 20 minutes. Make sure to talk to your doctor if you have questions about allergies. If you do not have a doctor, Maria Parham Medical Center can help — call (252) 438-MPMC or go to www.mariaparham. com and click on the Physician Finder link to see a list of doctors in the area.

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HealthBeat

The Daily Dispatch

Summer 2015

How to spot an asthma attack and how to help

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ccording to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), roughly 25 million Americans suffer from asthma — about one in ever y 12 people. Of those, roughly 7 million are children. The number of those affected by the disease increases ever y year, resulting in significant healthcare expenses. In 2007, asthma cost the U.S. about $56 billion in medical costs, missed school and work days, and early deaths. As we spend more of our free time outdoors in the summer months, asthma can be particularly troublesome. As the air gets hotter and more humid, allergens increase. Whether you or someone you know suffers from asthma, Maria Parham Medical Center (MPMC) wants

How to prevent asthma attacks

to make sure you are prepared to fight asthma this summer.

One way to prevent an asthma attack is What is asthma? to avoid triggers. Air Asthma is a pollution, smoke, chronic lung disease allergens and mold are characterized by all common irritants inflamed airways that may cause an that cause wheezing, asthma attack. Patients breathlessness, chest should also diligently tightness and coughing. take any prescribed Asthma attacks occur medications, develop when certain irritants a safe physical activity get into the lungs plan with their doctor and cause muscles to and keep track of their tighten around already- symptoms. inflamed airways. Extra mucous is often How to produced, which recognize an attack further restricts one’s If a child at camp airways during an starts wheezing while attack. playing outside, Once diagnosed, how do you know if asthma is often he or she is simply manageable if patients winded or really know what causes suffering from an their attacks and try to asthma attack? While avoid those triggers. the main signs are However, asthma coughing, wheezing, can limit what some breathlessness and patients can and cannot chest tightness, these do. symptoms could

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also be the result of a cold, allergies or overexertion. For this reason, it is crucial that asthma sufferers always inform super visors, colleagues or care providers of the disease so that proper care can be administered if an attack occurs.

a management plan developed by the patient and his or her healthcare provider. Parents should give any person that provides care to his or her child a copy of his or her Asthma Action Plan. This includes babysitters, sports coaches, school personnel, What to do daycare providers, when an attack hits camp counselors, Administer the or anyone else who quick-relief medicine, may be responsible typically an inhaler, for your child. If an and follow the patient’s attack happens, they Asthma Action Plan, will need to know

how to respond. Adult sufferers should also give their Asthma Action Plan to someone who can assist during an attack, such as a co-worker or exercise partner. If you need help diagnosing or managing your asthma, Maria Parham Medical Center can assist. Call (252) 438-MPMC to be directed to a physician, or go to www. mariaparham.com and click on the Physician Finder link.

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HealthBeat

The Daily Dispatch

When to call 911

With good health habits and a little luck, you may never face a sudden medical crisis. But sooner or later, some of us find ourselves involved in one. Suppose it’s chest pain, stomach cramps or a nasty kitchen accident — what’s the right response? Should you hit red aler t or just go see your family doctor? Although doctors regularly advise, “When in doubt, check it out,� you don’t want to overreact by calling 911 when it’s not needed. On the other hand, precious time could be lost if you hesitate in a true emergency. A tr ue medical emergency is a situation that is life threatening or could cause per manent harm if not treated immed i a t e l y. E v e r y m i n u t e counts. That’s the differ ence between cases needing instant, teammanaged medical intervention and those your doctor can handle in the office. Doctors say there are no “wrong� reasons to call 911 in a real emergency, especially if it’s

hear t related. At such a critical time, don’t drive yourself to the ER or get a taxi or someone else to drive you — it could be dangerous. Plus, you need the exper tise and equipment that’s on an ambulance. Once an ambulance arrives, paramedics will quickly bring the situation under control. You’ll get a rapid physical assessment followed by whatever care is required, such as oxygen, hear t monitoring, temporar y bandages or splints. After you’re stabilized, you’ll be r ushed to the nearest emergency room where a team of doctors and nurses will be standing by. The following char t lists various emergencies that require a 911 call. Post the list on your refrigerator or by your phone so you can refer to it in case of a medical crisis. And remember, if you are ever in doubt, play it safe and dial 911.

When to call 911

In a medical crisis, ever y second counts.

Below are examples of symptoms that constitute a medical emergency. Call 911 right away if you or a companion experiences any of them. Doing so could save a life. • Chest pain that radiates to the shoulders and ar ms, accompanied by nausea, dizziness, fainting or profuse sweating — classic signs of hear t attack. • Sudden numbness on one side of the face or limbs, confusion, slurring of speech, vision loss, severe headache or dizziness — all signs of a possible stroke. • Head, neck or back trauma. • Dif ficulty breathing or shortness of breath. • Severe, uncontrolled

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Take action when every second counts

bleeding. Remember: Call 911 harm or possibly die with• Abdominal injuries or anytime you think some- out receiving fast medical sudden severe abdominal one could suf fer serious help. pain, a sign of appendicitis. • Severe allergic reactions from insect bites, food or beverages. • Overdoses of drugs or alcohol. • Poisoning. • Attempted suicide or suicidal threats or statements. •24 hour Professional Nursing Services include • Sudden severe fever coupled with sensitivity to Post Operative Care, Restorative Nursing Care, light. Cardiac Rehabilitation, Diabetic Management, • Sudden or persistent Stroke Care, Pain Management, Wound Care and vomiting or diarrhea. • Stiff neck with fever Acute Care Services or headache. •Physical, Speech and Occupational Therapy • Stupor or dazed •Registered Dietician Services behavior. • Coughing or vomit•Social Services ing blood. •Activities • Fainting, dizziness or •Individualized Plans of Care hallucinations.

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HealthBeat

The Daily Dispatch

Summer 2015

Going the full 40: reasons to ‘let nature takes its course’

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he old adage “let nature takes its course� is sound advice for expecting mothers. But it’s easier said than done when society is constantly urging us to hurry up. Sometimes, expectant mothers want to schedule their deliveries on or before their actual due date. At Maria Parham Medical Center, as part of our efforts to provide the highest quality and safest care to our patients, we discourage early elective deliveries and want to educate moms-to-be about the associated risks. Early elective deliveries can cause a number of problems for both mom and baby, including hemorrhaging, increased risk of infection and infant prematurity. In fact, a recent study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology shows that more than 25 percent of infants born electively between 37 and 39 weeks required admission to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for an average of four and a half days, compared with fewer than five percent of infants who were delivered at 39 weeks or later. According to the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN), labor should only be

induced when it is medically necessary, not for convenience or scheduling concerns. Rather than force the baby out before he or she is ready, more and more medical experts are encouraging women to be patient and follow Mother Nature’s lead. In addition to the medical benefits of waiting for natural labor, here are 10 compelling reasons to patiently await the arrival of your baby: • Boost to breastfeeding. Babies that go full-term are

better feeders. • Faster recovery. Un-induced births mean quicker recoveries for new moms. • Birthing a brainy baby. Your baby’s brain will grow 1/3 of its size between weeks 35 and 40. • Better breathing. Babies born as little as two weeks early can have twice the number of breathing complications. • Getting home faster. More time in the womb generally means less time in the hospital. • Having a healthy

tot. Being born on time will reduce your baby’s risk of jaundice, low blood sugar and infection. • Letting your baby pick his or her birthday. It’s a special day you’ll be celebrating for a long time to come! • Building your baby’s muscles. More time in the womb means more time to gain strength. • Taking advantage of the opportunity to rest. Once the baby arrives, there will be a constant flurry of activity, so make sure

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you are well rested. • Letting your body do the work. In the womb, your body does all of the work — feeding, soothing, protecting. Once the baby arrives, it is all up to you and your partner — from feeding to changing, rocking to bathing! So enjoy the ride and let your body do the work as long as it’s supposed to. At Maria Parham Medical Center, providing quality care to all our patients is a top priority. We are proud of our Women & Infants

Unit, which offers the region’s leading labor and delivery facility, a Special Care Nursery, OB/GYN specialists, on-site breast feeding consultants, birthing classes and free breast feeding classes. To learn more about our Women’s Center, visit www.mariaparham. com. If you do not have a doctor, Maria Parham Medical Center can help — call (252) 438-MPMC or go to www. mariaparham.com and click on the Physician Finder link to see a list of doctors in the area.

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The Daily Dispatch

HealthBeat

Summer 2015

7

Heart attacks have beginnings Maria Parham Medical Center is working toward becoming an accredited Chest Pain Center. The accreditation process, developed by the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care, evaluates Chest Pain Centers nationwide to ensure they are providing the highest quality of care for patients experiencing chest pain. Maria Parham is committed to providing our community the highest quality of care and education available. Maria Parham Medical Center wants ever yone to know the Early Hear t Attack Symp- be experiencing symptoms, treatment. toms not only for themselves, and to be able to help them Remember, people may or but for those around who may obtain immediate emergency may not experience any or all

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of these symptoms: • Pain that travels down one or both arms. • Chest pain, squeezing or discomfort. • Feeling of fullness or discomfort in the abdomen. • Jaw, neck or back pain. • Nausea or vomiting. • Shortness of breath. • Fatigue. • Anxiety. • Dizziness. • Sweating. Don’t Wait. Call 911 Also, people may experience mild chest symptoms, such as pressure, burning, aching, or tightness. These symp-

toms may come and go until finally becoming constant and severe. Women are more likely to experience symptoms other than chest pain. They have a greater tendency to have pain just under the breastbone, or complain of abdominal pain, indigestion, dif ficulty breathing and unexplained fatigue. Take the EHAC oath and become deputized at www.deputyheartattack.org For more information about early hear t attack care, go to www.deputyhear tattack.org or call Maria Parham’s Chest Pain Center coordinator at (252) 436-6124.

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Accepting New Patients At All Three Locations

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8

The Daily Dispatch

HealthBeat

Summer 2015

National Safety Month: What do you live for?

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hat do you live for? Is spending time with family and friends what motivates you to get out of bed every morning? Or maybe you thrive off the opportunity to explore new cities and countries. Whatever inspires you to get up and get moving every day, engaging in safe behaviors helps you live for the things you value most. Every June, the National Safety Council (NSC) hosts National Safety Month. Maria Parham Medical Center (MPMC) is proud to join this movement by keeping safety a priority at our hospital and also encouraging our community to make safety a priority.

One area NSC is emphasizing during this year’s observance is transportation safety. As you may imagine, hospitals see the scary results of reckless driving when victims of car accidents come through the emergency room doors. This summer, we want to help make our community healthier by reminding you to be safe and alert in the car in order to stay out of the emergency room. “As you hit the road this summer for vacation, or as you continue through your daily routine, we want you to remember that staying healthy goes far beyond the healthcare setting,� said David Ruggles, director of marketing and

community relations at MPMC. “Staying healthy means making safe and smart lifestyle choices, be it choosing not to text and drive, choosing to exercise regularly or choosing not to smoke.â€? Here are a few tips, courtesy of the NSC, that will help keep you and your family safer on the roads and also protect other drivers. • On the road, off the phone. Distracted driving causes an estimated 26 percent of all crashes each year. Before you hit the road, put your cell phone in a purse, trunk or glove compartment so you aren’t tempted to answer calls, send texts or check emails. When possible, designate a passenger to answer

the phone if you are expecting a call. If you need to check email, voicemail or texts, pull over. • Get plenty of rest. According to the NSC, roughly 1,550 people are killed each year in crashes involving drowsy drivers. Do not get behind the wheel if you are tired or have taken medications that may cause drowsiness. To stay alert during your drive, take a nap before you leave or pull over and take a “power napâ€? if you start to feel sleepy. If you are traveling with a

companion, switch places every couple of hours and schedule breaks to get out and stretch your legs. • Protect new drivers. The NSC states that nearly half of all teens will be involved in a car crash before graduating from high school. Parents can significantly reduce their teens’ risk of crashing with a few simple steps: • Practice driving with your teenager. Find at least 30 minutes each week, and let your child practice with you in the car. • Have your teen

sign a New Driver Deal, a short agreement that encourages him or her to adopt safe driving habits. The New Driver Deal can be downloaded at DriveitHOME.org. • Limit the number of passengers allowed in the car with your child and limit nighttime driving, as darkness lowers visibility and increases the risk of a crash. To learn more about National Safety Council, go to www.nsc.org. For more information about Maria Parham Medical Center, go to www. mariaparham.com.

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Always check puncture wounds of the feet

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hen warm weather arrives, many people shed their shoes in favor of thin sandals or perhaps they even go barefooted. It can feel great, but along with the good comes an increased chance of a potentially severe injury — a foot puncture. Stepping on nails often seems like a minor injury, but it is still more dangerous than many people think. It can cause tetanus, but more commonly, it causes serious infections in the feet. The infections are

usually caused by debris that is left in the puncture wound. Frequently this is part of the rubber from the shoe, or stocking material, both of which are loaded with harmful bacteria. Retained material is also very common when slivers, toothpicks, or needles are stepped on in a carpet or rug. These objects should be removed as soon as possible to decrease the chance of infection. The wound should be cleaned by removing a wedge of the thick callous from around

the puncture to allow drainage. Then the doctor will explore the puncture, removing any material left in the foot. Early on, the damage to the bones, cartilage, or joints can be hard to detect, but if the wound is over the joints at the ball of the foot, the wound needs to be watched closely. Infections in a joint or cartilage can require several weeks of intravenous antibiotics. Certain medical conditions will also make a foot wound SEE FEET/PAGE 10

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HealthBeat

The Daily Dispatch

9

Summer 2015

Riding out a heat wave

I

s it the 95 degrees, or is the 90 percent humidity? Or is it both? If you have spent a summer in this part of North Carolina, you know the answer is e both. You also know that you have two options, and the most favorable one involves an air conditioner. However, on days when you simply cannot get out of the heat, there are a few things that you can do to best manage the heat and, yes, the humidity. Make sure to take the following safety measures during the summer heat:

• Check the weather — if it is going to be hot, prepare yourself accordingly. • Drink plenty of water, sports drinks or fruit juices — two to four cups an hour. • Avoid caffeine and alcohol — they both act as diuretics and rid the body of fluids. • Avoid heavy meals. • Dress in light, loose clothes and wear a wide-brimmed hat to protect you from the sun. It is important to understand that when the heat and the humidity soar into the 90+ range, it can be

extremely dangerous. Heat-related problems can cause very severe illnesses and, in some cases, even death. Your body’s main defense mechanism against the heat is sweating. The water molecules on your skin help to cool your internal body temperature. But excessive sweating, especially in hot and humid conditions, can dehydrate a person in a hurry along with depleting important electrolytes within the body. Signs of overheating can include cramping,

dizziness, nausea and clammy skin. An advanced sign of overheating is when you stop sweating even though you are still hot. If this happens to you, stop everything and seek a cool spot, wrap a cool, wet towel around yourself and attempt to drink liquids. If you do not feel better, get medical attention immediately. And remember, if the weather forecast is for another 90-90 day, considered simply chilling out.

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Four County Eye Associates DANIEL BERNSTEIN, M.D.

CYNTHIA A. HAMPTON, M.D.

:KDW LV 3K\VLFDO 5HKDELODWDWLYH 0HGLFLQH"

Comprehensive Ophthalmology Routine Adult and Pediatric Exams/Glasses and Contact Lenses

Office Hours By Appointment

(252) 492-8021 800-331-6744

No Stitch Cataract Surgery: Laser Surgery: Medical and Surgical Treatment of Glaucoma and Diabetic Eye Diseases: Muscle and Eyelid Surgery.

Henderson Professional Plaza 451 Ruin Creek Road, Suite 204 Henderson, NC 27536 www.fourcountyeyeassociates.medem.com

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10

HealthBeat

The Daily Dispatch

Summer 2015

Sunscreens prevent skin cancer Now that we are getting into summer and the days are long and warm, we all star t to think about doing a little sunbathing or tanning on the lawn or by the lake. It sounds enticing, but the skin is not ready for so much sun exposure. It is the ultraviolet spectr um of sunlight that causes sunbur ns and contributes to skin damage. If these rays are not kept out by sunscreens or one’s natural tan, the elastic fibers of the skin are damaged and a person develops wrinkled and sagging skin. This damage accumulates over the years of carefree sun exposure. Besides damaging the elastic fibers, sunlight also causes skin cancers. These also occur in propor tion to how much sunlight you get over the years and your skin type. Severe burns directly increase the chance of developing a melanoma, the dangerous form of skin cancer. You can protect your skin from these effects by using a sunscreen

FEET

with a sun protective factor (SPF) rated from 15 to 60, with the higher numbers being more protective. Many dermatologists recommend the higher doses routinely since all lose their protective values as they wear of f. It is good to choose one that stays on even if you swim. Clothing does not give complete protection. If you can hold the fabric up to the sun and see light through it, it is giving you an SPF rating of about 5-8. Sand and water reflect the ultraviolet rays, so being on the beach or lake can increase your exposure. In fact, this reflection from the water or sand will reach you even when you sit in the shade. So remember to always use sunscreens. Maria Parham Medical Center and the American Cancer Society have established a Cancer Resource Center located in the basement of the Brodie-Waddill Wing of the hospital. The center has cancer-related education material, information on programs and internet access. It is free to the public.

to get puncture wounds without realizing it. Complications can become severe by FROM PAGE 8 the time the injury is discovered. a serious problem. Poor circulation, Diabetics commonly cortisone use, and other have trouble with their medical conditions feet, including loss of sensation, allowing them can make the infection

spread more quickly. Even punctures that look very mild on the surface can damage and infect bones, joints and tendon sheaths. You should see a doctor promptly for any puncture wound of the foot.

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HealthBeat

The Daily Dispatch

11

Summer 2015

Skin cancers common on the face Skin cancers are usually easy to find. They are right on your face. The areas that catch the most sun — the lips, cheeks and nose — are the most likely areas to develop a cancer. These cancers are called basal cell cancers and are slow-growing. They grow so slowly that a person often ignores them assuming that they are only a chronic irritation. However, any skin ulcer that lasts more than a few weeks should be checked by your doctor. It is wise to remove these cancers early. Although they do not commonly spread like other cancers, they can damage deeper tissues in the nose, ears or around

the eyes, which will result in scarring and poorer cosmetic results. There are a few different ways to remove these cancers. Often, they are simply cut out and the skin sewed together. This will leave a small scar. A scar can usually be avoided by using a more complex microsurgical technique and cauter y. For precancerous skin changes, treatments that destroy the abnormal cells are quite successful. This can be done by freezing the skin with liquid nitrogen or with a lotion containing a chemotherapeutic medicine. You can reduce the sun’s damage to the skin and risk of skin cancers by protecting your skin

with sunscreens, broad-brimmed hats and avoiding the outdoors during the peak hours of ultraviolet exposure — from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The damage from sun exposure accumulates over the years, so you should star t using these protective measures at an early age. If you find a suspicious marking or blemish on your face or anywhere else on your body, you should consult with your doctor or perhaps a dermatologist — a physician who specializes in skin care and disorders. For the name of a physician or dermatologists in the area, go to www.mariaparham.com and click on “Physician Finder.�

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12

HealthBeat

The Daily Dispatch

Summer 2015

right here, right now

When Every Second Counts The Emergency Department at Maria Parham Medical Center stands ready for any emergency you or your loved ones face. And because every second counts–especially when it comes to stroke care–Maria Parham has partnered with the Duke Telestroke Network to provide fast, real time access to immediate stroke care specialists and treatment. Advanced stroke care, right here, right now, at Maria Parham Medical Center. For more information, visit www.mariaparham.com

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