More@Mercy - Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital - Fall 2018

@ CANCER BY THE NUMBERS As of 2016, there were over

15.5

MILLION

in the U.S. living with a history of cancer.

87%

of all

CANCERS IN THE U.S. are diagnosed in people 50 or older.

Men and women who smoke are about 25 times more likely to develop lung cancer than nonsmokers.

Source: American Cancer Society

FALL 2018

Mercy adds more cancer doctors IMPROVING QUALITY AND AVAILABILITY OF OUR CANCER SERVICES Mercy Health System is adding some new faces to the cancer-fighting team, a move that will boost local access to high-quality cancer care.

The new doctors include radiation oncologists Shefali Gajjar, MD, and Weisi Yan, MD, and medical oncologists Yu Yu Thar, MD, Pooja Lothe, MD, and Rajesh Thirumaran, MD. Here’s a quick look at the care these experts provide for people with cancer: ­— Continued on page 2

IN THIS ISSUE

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CANCER CARE Learn about the benefits of rehab during cancer treatment.

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PALLIATIVE CARE It improves quality of life.

COMPLETE CANCER CARE Learn more about cancer care at Mercy Health System: mercyhealth.org/cancer.

Staying strong REHAB PROGRAM HELPS CANCER PATIENTS COPE WITH SIDE EFFECTS Going grocery shopping. Getting dressed. Walking to the kitchen for a glass of water. Cancer and its treatments can drain your energy and make even routine tasks like these an ordeal. But help is available.

Mercy Health System has an outpatient rehab program that helps people with cancer manage related side effects, including fatigue, weakness, pain, difficulty walking, swelling and loss of balance, which can lead to falling.

Improving physical and mental strength Occupational and physical therapists with additional cancer training lead the rehab sessions. They provide services designed to improve strength and movement needed for everyday activities during and after cancer treatment.

TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR Talk to your doctor if you think you could benefit from the oncology rehab program. You can also call 1.877.466.3729 for more information.

“The stronger you are, the better you are able to manage the side effects,” says Michele Zappile-Lucis, Administrative Director of Oncology for Mercy Health System. “Getting more energy and more strength helps you physically. But there’s also a mental health aspect of the rehab program.”

Oncology rehab helps cancer

Mercy adds more cancer doctors ­— Continued from front page Medical oncologists have special training in treating patients with chemotherapy drugs (medicines designed to kill cancer cells). They also manage treatment side effects and other aspects of the disease overall.

Radiation oncologists are trained in using radiation (either external beams or implanted seeds) to treat cancer. Today’s radiation treatment methods can home in on tumor cells while sparing healthy tissue. As a result, these newer methods help treat cancer better but with fewer side effects.

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More @ Mercy Fall 2018

patients get back a big piece of their lives by improving their ability to function independently.

“When people go through cancer, a lot is taken away from them,” Michele says. “Being able to do things on their own—like being strong enough to walk to the kitchen and get your own meal—these things are important to people.”

Taking cancer care to the next level With more cancer doctors joining Mercy, the community gets better access to even more oncology expertise close to home, says Carmine Volpe, MD, Medical Director for Mercy Health System’s Cancer Center and a surgical oncologist.

An expanded staff helps ensure timely access to a highly qualified cancer specialist when you or a loved one needs it. And it will help Mercy develop doctor teams who subspecialize in specific cancers, Dr. Volpe says.

“The addition of even more highly trained oncologists means the Mercy hospital right in your own neighborhood is capable of treating the most serious cancers,” Dr. Volpe says. “You don’t have to go elsewhere.”

New Bone, Joint and Spine Program will offer ‘one-stop’ care When you hurt your back or neck, injure your knee or get a concussion—all examples of musculoskeletal problems—you want quick and easy access to the doctors and other specialists that you might need.

That’s what Mercy Health System will be offering soon with its new comprehensive Bone, Joint and Spine Program.

“It’s a program that includes multiple specialists—like orthopedic surgeons, sports medicine doctors, and spine and back doctors—who will be providing complete care all in one place,” says Michael Yang, MD, a sports medicine physician with Mercy.

A commitment to the community This kind of multidisciplinary program has been available at large institutions.

Now Mercy wants to bring this high standard of convenient care to the community it serves.

“For example, someone with back pain can call and expect to quickly get an appointment with a back specialist,” Dr. Yang explains. “And while they’re here, maybe they mention that their knee hurts too.

“The back specialist might then pop in to ask me if I can see this patient now. And I’ll go right in.”

If the patient needs x-rays or physical therapy, all appointments will be made before the patient goes home that day.

“The goal is that before you leave,

DONE WITH BACK PAIN? To learn more about the new Bone, Joint and Spine Program, call 1.877.GO MERCY (1.877.466.3729).

you have everything you need,” Dr. Yang says.

“The only thing you’ll have to do is show up for the appointments that have been made for you.”

Developing this type of program takes time, effort and planning. But Dr. Yang and others are working to bring it to Mercy soon.

“I think the bottom line is, we’re trying to better serve our community,” Dr. Yang says.

“And that’s what I’m most proud of.”

Michael Yang, MD

Kevin P. O’Donnell, MD

Give a warm welcome to our new orthopedic surgeon!

Do you need relief from joint or knee problems? Is an old sports injury holding you back? Our new orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist, Kevin P. O’Donnell, MD, can help you find relief.

Dr. O’Donnell earned his medical degree from Rutgers– New Jersey Medical School.

He completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital and a fellowship in sports medicine at The Rothman Institute at Thomas Jefferson University.

Dr. O’Donnell practices at Mercy Orthopedics in Darby. He is also on staff at both Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital and Mercy Philadelphia Hospital.

mercyhealth.org

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Comfort and support It’s easy to get the wrong idea about palliative care—a service that improves the quality of people’s lives when they’re diagnosed with a chronic, serious illness.

“Palliative care is not the same as hospice,” says Ira Smith, MD, Medical Director for Palliative Care at Mercy Health System.

Relief from pain or other symptoms is, indeed, a big part of what palliative care can offer you or a loved one who has a condition such as cancer, COPD, kidney disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or heart disease.

But unlike hospice, you do not have to be at the end of your life to receive palliative care. In fact, you can continue to receive aggressive treatments meant to cure your disease while you get treatments that help you feel better.

Palliative care can help people live their lives and continue with daily activities. It may even make it easier for people to finish challenging treatments, such as chemotherapy.

What’s involved?

At Mercy Health System, palliative care currently starts in the hospital.

Patients receive support and a treatment plan that can be continued once the patient goes home. The palliative care plan provides for relief of symptoms such as: •• Pain •• Nausea and vomiting •• Shortness of breath •• Fatigue •• Insomnia •• Severe itching (a symptom of kidney failure) •• Stress and anxiety “But we don’t just treat the physical symptoms of an illness,” Dr. Smith says. “We also connect our patients with resources to help them with emotional and spiritual concerns they may be having.”

That’s because palliative care is provided by a team. The doctors and nurses may prescribe medicines or other treatments to better control your symptoms. But they work with other experts too.

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT PALLIATIVE CARE AT MERCY HEALTH SYSTEM For instance, the team could put you or your loved one in touch with a chaplain or a counselor, if you want. A palliative care team can also include social workers and alternative therapy practitioners who work with your regular doctor.

In addition, the palliative care team helps people better understand goals of care. Sometimes patients and their families have difficult decisions to make about whether to continue with treatment or transition to hospice. Palliative care providers can help with those conversations.

“At Mercy Health, we can take the time to sit down and talk with families and patients and do the right things for them,” Dr. Smith says. “They will not feel rushed to make any decisions.”

Palliative care can help people live their lives and continue with daily activities.

Ira Smith, MD

Quality care you can count on MERCY HOSPITALS EARN TOP HONORS FOR HEART FAILURE AND STROKE CARE At first glance, it might not seem as though heart failure and stroke have much in common. Heart failure is a chronic condition in which an increasingly weak heart can’t pump as well as it should. A stroke, on the other hand, is a medical emergency in which blood flow to the brain is cut off.

Still, both require expert medical care. And that’s just what you can count on at all three Mercy Health System hospitals—Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital, Mercy Philadelphia Hospital and Nazareth Hospital. In June, each hospital earned two top honors for their commitment to speeding the recovery of heart failure and stroke patients. Mercy Fitzgerald earned: ••The American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines–Heart Failure Gold Quality Achievement Award

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More @ Mercy Fall 2018

JUST ASK FOR IT Palliative care at Mercy Health System is available by physician referral. And most insurance plans cover it. If you are interested in learning more, ask your or your loved one’s doctor about this service.

•• The American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines–Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award

Saving lives, preventing readmissions These awards affirm that Mercy Health System’s hospitals follow the latest scientific treatment guidelines for heart failure and stroke. To earn the awards, each hospital met specific quality achievement measures for diagnosing and treating both conditions.

Studies show that when hospitals meet these measures, mortality rates for heart failure and stroke patients often drop. So do hospital readmissions.

Here are some of the quality measures all three Mercy hospitals met: •• For both heart failure and stroke patients, the proper use of medications, as well as care to make the transition to home safer and smoother

•• For heart failure patients, aggressive treatments to reduce the risk of flare-ups and complications

•• For stroke patients, treatments matched with guidelines that reduce the risk of both death and disability “Mercy Health System is dedicated to improving the quality of care for our patients by implementing the Get With The Guidelines initiatives for heart failure and stroke patients,” says Sharon Carney, MD, Chief Medical Officer at Mercy Health System.

FIND OUT MORE Learn more about our award-winning care at mercyhealth.org.

Sharon Carney, MD

mercyhealth.org

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4 ways to shake a sodium habit Sodium is sneaky. Most of us get more than we need—even if we never sprinkle salt on our food.

“That’s a problem, since too much sodium in your diet can raise your risk of high blood pressure—a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke,” cautions Lauren Sinclair, RN, a Mercy Home Health nurse. “And if you already have high blood pressure, a high-sodium diet can make it harder to control.”

While sodium is a main ingredient in table salt, most of the sodium we eat comes from packaged and restaurant food.

Of course it’s still a good idea to use table salt sparingly—and to flavor your food with herbs, spices, or a squeeze of lemon or lime juice. But that’s only the first step in cutting back on sodium and protecting your health. Try these four tips too:

1

Stick to the perimeter of the grocery store.

“Shopping on the outside of the grocery store—where you find fruits, vegetables, meat and dairy—can help you avoid processed foods,” Lauren says. “But stay away from the lunch meat counter.”

4 flu myths:

Don’t be fooled

Read up. Compare labels on prepared foods. Then choose the product with the least amount of sodium per serving. Try to eat no more than 1,500 milligrams of sodium per day, especially if you have high blood pressure.

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Cook smart. Use fresh poultry,

fish and lean meat, not canned, smoked or processed types. Rinse canned vegetables and beans—or better yet, buy ones labeled no salt added. Try unsalted chicken or beef broth too.

Order carefully. Eating out?

Don’t be bashful— ask for your food to be prepared without added salt. And watch out for foods described as pickled, brined or barbecued. They tend to be high in sodium.

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Sometimes it’s hard to know which spreads faster, the flu or flu myths. Here are four persistent flu myths that need to be debunked.

“Believing them might seriously hurt your health,” cautions Donna Raziano, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Mercy Home Health.

1

Myth: The flu shot can give you the flu.

Reality: There may be minor side effects, like a sore arm or soreness at the injection site, but “It’s impossible for the shot to make you sick with the flu,” Dr. Raziano says.

2

Myth: The flu isn’t that big a deal. It’s just like having a nasty cold.

Reality: The flu can cause serious— and even deadly—complications, such as pneumonia. Adults 65 and older are especially vulnerable to

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More @ Mercy Fall 2018

these complications. So are babies; pregnant mothers; and people with chronic health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes or asthma.

3

Myth: I had the flu shot last year, so I can skip it this year.

Reality: A yearly flu shot is a must for nearly everybody 6 months and older. Flu viruses can change from year to year. Even when the viruses the vaccine protects against haven’t changed since the last flu season, that protection can wear off over time.

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Myth: The flu shot doesn’t keep people from getting the flu.

Reality: Getting a yearly flu shot is the single most effective thing you can do to avoid the flu. “While it doesn’t guarantee you won’t get the flu, it significantly reduces your risk,” Dr. Raziano says. And if you do get the flu, you may have a milder case.

Help prevent life-changing falls In the seconds it takes for you to fall, your whole life can change. It can mean a trip to the hospital, an injury or a broken bone.

“Falls can prove devastating to nearly anyone, but particularly so for older people,” says Deborah Ludwig, PT, Regional Director of Operations, Mercy Home Health. More than 1 in 4 people 65 or older in the U.S. fall each year.

Injuries from falls can make it hard to get around, do everyday activities or live independently.

“But the good news is that there are many things you can do to help prevent falls—both inside your home and out,” Deborah says.

Preventing falls indoors •• Keep your floors free of clutter.

•• Either get rid of area rugs or make sure they have skidproof backing.

•• Be sure any stairs are well-lit and have rails on both sides.

•• Install grab bars in your bathroom next to the shower or tub.

•• Put a flashlight next to your bed, and use it if you need to get up at night.

•• Keep a cordless phone or cellphone with you so you can call for help if you do fall.

➤ One more tip: Have your eyes and hearing checked regularly. Even small changes in these senses can lead to falls.

Preventing falls outdoors •• Use a cane or walker if you’re unsteady on your feet.

•• Wear shoes with nonslip rubber soles.

•• Walk on the grass when sidewalks are slippery.

•• Throw handfuls of kitty litter in front of you when sidewalks are icy.

BACK ON YOUR FEET Mercy Home Health has physical therapists who can help you or a loved one recover from a fall.

Learn more at mercyhomehealth.org.

CALL US TODAY!

Health care in the comfort

of home

Imagine this: You’re getting out of the hospital but are a little nervous about managing your ongoing care at home. Maybe you’re anxious about changing the bandage on your incision. Or perhaps you still feel pretty weak. Or maybe you’re taking your baby home for the first time.

If any of the above scenarios ring true, don’t worry: Mercy Home Health can help.

On the recommendation of your doctor, Home Health can send nurses, therapists or health aides to your home to check on you. Among other things, they’ll make sure your home is set up safely for your recovery. They’ll show you how to take your medications or clean your wounds. They’ll weigh your baby and make sure he or she is feeding well.

“Our advocacy starts when the patient first comes out

For more information about Home Health services, call 1.888.690.2551. Services are usually covered by your insurance plan if you need or want extra support at home. Don’t delay—ask your physician for home health care.

of the hospital,” says Nicole Dougherty, RN, Mercy Home Health Patient Advocate. “The nurses’ first job is to be sure the patient will be getting quality medical care at home.”

Sometimes home health workers find the patient has no heat or air conditioning—or no food in the house.

That’s when a social worker will be brought in to see what the patient needs.

“We’re there to treat the patient, and we can’t do that if basic needs aren’t met,” Nicole says.

If you have family or a caregiver at home, Home Health staff will do things like train that person how to give you your medicines or change your bandages.

“Our goal is to keep you in your home and not have you need to return to the hospital due to preventable complications,” Nicole says. mercyhealth.org

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Mind your medications AND

Medicine is meant to help you feel better, not worse. But a lot can go wrong if you don’t understand your medicine—and how to take it safely. Rina S. Kapoor, MD, a primary care physician at Mercy Medical Associates at Springfield, answers key questions about medicines and the knowledge you need to help protect your health.

What should I know when my doctor prescribes a medicine?

ANSWER: M ake sure you understand the answers to these questions: What is the name of the medicine, and what is it for? How much do I take, and when should I take it? What are possible side effects, and what should I do if I have one? Is there anything I shouldn’t eat or drink when I take this medicine? Will it cause problems if I take this drug with other medicines? What should I do if I forget to take a dose?

Q

What should I keep in mind when taking overthe-counter (OTC) medicines?

ANSWER: Always read the printed directions and warnings—and follow them. Know what you’re taking too.

Review the ingredients in OTC medications, and choose products that have fewer items listed. And check the expiration date. A medicine’s effectiveness wears off over time. If you are taking OTC medications and have any

Q

concerns about interactions, talk to your doctor and your pharmacist.

What else will help me take my Q medicines safely?

ANSWER: Make a list of all the medicines you take, plus vitamins or supplements. Keep it handy—say, in your wallet or stored in your phone. And discuss your list whenever you see your doctor. That will help your doctor spot the possibility of dangerous interactions, duplicate medicines or a dose that needs changing.

NEED A PRIMARY CARE DOCTOR? Find a Mercy Physician Network doctor near you by calling 1.877.GO MERCY (1.877.466.3729).

MORE @ MERCY is published as a commu­nity ­service for the friends and patrons of ­Mercy Health System. Information in MORE @ MERCY comes from a wide range of medical experts. If you have any concerns or questions about specific content that may affect your health, please contact your healthcare provider. Models may be used in photos and illustrations. If you would like to stop receiving this publication, please email IAtMercy@mercyhealth.org. 2018 © Coffey Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.