Winter 2012

memorial

Medical Milestones

Winter 2012

Faith-Based Medicine Page 10

Innovations Page 4

Painful Sight Page 8

Rock Doc Page 12

To our community 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.

“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.”

Larry Graham, CEO

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.

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memorial

Medical Milestones Page 4

Innovations 4 LIFT SMART

Personal Care 6 Recovering from pelvic pain

Painful Sight 8 Eye Clinic and LCMH team up

Cover Story

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Fairth-based medicine

Physician Spotlight

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Page 6

Kevin Young, MD: Rock Drummer

Leveling the Playing Field 14 The Foundation for Fairplay

Coming Events 16 Education Classes and Support Groups

Letters 19 High Tech, High Touch

Page 10

On the Cover Rev. David DeWitt in the Memorial Chapel.

Page 19 3

Page 12

lift smart 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.

Innovations

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Giving Patients a Lift!

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.

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

“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.”

“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.”

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.

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.

“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

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.

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Personal Care: Recovering from pelvic pain

Johnnie Kleinschmidt and Donya Louviere

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.”

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Interstitial 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.

Johnnie Kleinschmidt and the biofeedback technology

“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.”

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

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.

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.

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.

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.”

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.”

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Painful Sight

Recurrent Pterygia?

High Tech Option Makes Painful Eye Condition Disappear

Val Zimmer lived with a petrygium for close to 20 years before finding a permanent solution in Lake Charles.

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.”

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.”

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.

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.

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.

“A pterygium occurs when the conjunctiva, a membrane that covers the white of the eye, grows into the cornea, the clear 8

Dr. James Maze (left) and Dr. A.J. O’Byrne team up to treat pterygiums. additional step that helps prevent recurrence with such a high rate of success.”

“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.”

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 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.

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.

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

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.

“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.”

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.”

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

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

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Cover Story

Faith-Based Medicine 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.

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.

Rev. David DeWitt 10

Fr. Beni Wego

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.

“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.

As a minister, priest or pastor, one must practice a lot of selfcare, 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.

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 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.”

“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.

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Physician Spotlight Kevin Young, MD Cardiologist

...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 12

“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.”

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.”

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.

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.

Honey and the Wanna-Bees “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.”

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.

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.

“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.”

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Leveling the Playing Field Foundation for Fairplay Fund 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).

“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.

F3 Board of Directors Distribution Committee Dr. Brett Cascio John Condos George Jordan Charles Whitson Leif Pedersen Advisory Board Ran Prince Mickey Moss Lee Mallett Richard Wilson Drew Shirley Steven Liles Carol Sensley Patricia Prebula Harold Rowland

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.

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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.

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Calendar of Events Support Groups

are offering women struggling with cancer - the diagnosis,

COPING WITH CANCER

treatment and concerns about their appearance - a chance to Look Good...Feel Better. For more information, call

For those cancer patients who are newly diagnosed, undergoing treatment, or who have completed treatment. For more

(337) 433-5817.

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

Third Monday of every other month

802-1933.

Shearman Conference Room 5:30pm - 7:30pm

Third Tuesday of Each Month • Chaplain’s Office Noon – light refreshments served

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

DESIGNER GENES A support group by and for the parents of children with genetic disorders. Located at Memorial Hospital for Women, 1900 W.

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

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

5939.

First Tuesday of each month

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

Second Saturday of Each Month Memorial for Women • Noon

Shearman Conference Room 6pm - 7pm

DIABETES SUPPORT GROUP

LA LECHE LEAGUE A breastfeeding group, La Leche League offers a series of meetings consisting of four classes that are helpful for pregnant

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-

moms and moms who are already nursing. Meetings are free and open to mothers and babies.

6425.

First and Third Tuesday of Each Month Diabetes EducationOffice • 10am – 11am

First Thursday of Each Month Memorial for Women Education Room 2 10am – 11:30am

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

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

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

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Winter 2012-2013 Prenatal and Family Education Classes 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.

PREPARED CHILDBIRTH CLASS 4-WEEK SERIES

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

This class is highly recommended for its hands-on, and often fun, approach to dealing with labor, delivery and recovery. Birth

both parents. The children will have hands-on practice with dolls to learn how to interact with a new baby. Parents will receive

preparation is discussed regarding natural delivery, birth with an

informative guidelines and everyone will tour the mother/baby

epidural and cesarean birth. Bring your pillows, your questions and don’t forget to breathe. Recommended during the last three

unit. Mondays.

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

months of pregnancy. Tuesdays, Jan 8, 15, 22, 29, 2013

6pm – 7pm $10/Family

March 5, 12, 19, 26, 2013 6:30pm – 8:30pm $35/Couple

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.

ONE DAY PREPARED CHILDBIRTH CLASS Learn comfort, relaxation, positioning, breathing, and massage techniques for increasing the comfort level and enhancing the

January 14, March 4 & April 15, 2013 6:30pm – 8:30pm $10/Couple

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

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

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 17

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

Care Beyond the Hospital Doors 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.

Tammie McCracken, RN

“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.

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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 Boulevard Lake Charles, La 70601 337-494-3000

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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.

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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.

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Who Should Participate?

We encourage all individuals 18 years or older, living or working in Calcasieu Parish to take the online survey. It will take about 5 minutes to complete.

How do I Participate?

To begin the survey, go to http://LakeCharlesCHNASurvey.questionpro.com

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