OurHeath Roanoke & New River Valleys Aug/Sep 2012 Edition

Southwest Virginia edition • August/September 2012

Back to School Health: Topics and tips to help Southwest Virginia students get an A+ in healthy living Also Inside:

+ 2012 Healthcare Education Guide in Southwest and Central Virginia + Prostate Cancer Awareness + Ovarian Cancer ­— Women with it Live and Prosper + ER vs. Urgent Care + Former Virginia Tech Football Star Lets His Faith Lead His Success

Live It, Love It...

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Call 444-0343 to learn more or to schedule a personal tour. *Personal care services not included. Limited to the �irst 10 new residents.

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Directions: From West Main Street, turn onto Turner Road (at Walgreens).

Turn left onto Lawndale and bear to the left onto Burma. Turn left onto Harrogate Drive.

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Be Our Guest This coupon entitles you and a guest to a complimentary meal in the dining room at Salem Terrace.

A limited number of dining times are available.

Call 540-444-0343 to make your reservation.

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Valid through September 30, 2012.

MEET TEAM DIANE Coordinated care for gynecologic cancers here in our community

“I’ve had five surgeries, four rounds of chemotherapy, I’m in remission, and I feel great! It’s all thanks to Dr. Scribner and his team.”

— Diane Williams ovarian cancer survivor

After learning she was at risk of ovarian cancer because of her genetics, Diane decided to take a proactive step and sought the care of Carilion Clinic’s gynecologic oncology practice.

Diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2006, Diane has been treated by a coordinated care team, led by Dennis Scribner, M.D., and Janet Osborne, M.D., both board-certified gynecologic oncologists.

Diane says without her team and the technology available at Carilion Clinic, she’s convinced she wouldn’t be here today.

Now besides feeling great, Diane has the comfort of knowing her team will never give up on her.

To learn more about Diane’s story or Carilion Clinic’s gynecologic oncology services, please call 800-422-8482 or visit CarilionClinic.org.

Pictured L-R: Dennis Scribner, M.D.; Janet Osborne, M.D.; Thuy Vu, genetic counselor; Nicole Bush, L.N.P.; Lisa Manning, R.N.

Inspiring better health.™ CarilionClinic.org | 800-422-8482

Rest easy knowing your child is safe on every ride.

WE’RE HERE TO HELP. www.safetyseatva.org 1-800-732-8333

Free online safety seat demonstration videos Free Safety Seat Check Stations Free safety seats for income eligible families

www.vdh.virginia.gov

Virginia Department of Health: Office of Family Health Services Child Passenger Safety Program

McClintic Media, Inc. PUBLISHER

Stephen C. McClintic, Jr.

PRESIDENT AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

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ACCOUNTING MANAGER EDITORIAL

WRITERS AND CONTRIBUTORS

David Armstrong, OD Jenn Bates Rod Belcher Ruth Cassell

Sheila Ellis-Glasper Kyle Fitzgerald, DDS Susan Guelich, MD Chad Johnston, DO

Joelle Miller, MD Laura Neff-Henderson Edward Stanton, MD

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@ourhealthmag COMMENTS/FEEDBACK/QUESTIONS Our Health Magazine, Inc. welcomes your feedback. Please send your comments and/or questions to: “Letters,” Our Health magazine, Inc. 305 Colorado Street • Salem, VA 24153, 540.387.6482 or you may send via email to steve@ourhealthvirginia.com.

Information in this magazine is for informational purposes only. The information is not intended to replace medical or health advice of an individual’s physician or healthcare provider as it relates to individual situations. DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES ALTER ANY MEDICAL TREATMENT WITHOUT THE CONSENT OF YOUR DOCTOR. All matters concerning physical and mental health should be supervised by a health practitioner knowledgeable in treating that particular condition. The publisher does not directly or indirectly dispense medical advice and does not assume any responsibility for those who choose to treat themselves. The publisher has taken reasonable precaution in preparing this publication, however, the publisher does not assume any responsibility for errors or omissions.

Copyright © 2012 by Our Health magazine, Inc. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited. Our Health is published bimonthly by Our Health magazine, Inc. 305 Colorado Street, Salem, VA 24153, P: 540.387.6482 F: 540.387.6483. www.ourhealthvirginia.com. Advertising rates upon request.

contents August/September 2012

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cover feature 27

It’s School Time!

The A, B, C’s for a Healthy and Happy Academic Life in 2012 and 2013!

ongoing departments

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Medi • cabu • lary + Just Ask!

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local healthcare questions answered and medical terms explained 14

The Latest new physicians, providers, locations and upcoming events

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Urgent Care in the Community ERs and urgent care: when you should go where?

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Women’s Health a whisper of hope that speaks loud to those with ovarian cancer

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Regional Health Services a regional Hepatitis-C treatment clinic in Lynchburg brings specialized options to patients throughout our region

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Specialty Center Focus the area’s only pediatric nephrologist brings top rate kidney care to Southwest Virginia children

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Men’s Health more awareness is needed when it comes to prostate cancer

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Faith & Wellness

Special Section: A Guide To Healthcare Education In Southwest And Central Virginia

former Virginia Tech football standout credits Christ for his good health and fortune on and off the field

66 * CORRECTION * INSIGHT IMAGING ARTICLE In Volume VI, Issue II (2012), Dr. O’Brien was incorrectly quoted in the Practice Highlight article on page 51, paragraph two. The correct quote is: “This allows for very precise and safe placement of medicines in and around the spine, nerves, joints or any other body part as needed.” says Dr. O’Brien. “It makes it easier for me as the caregiver, and easier and safer for the patient.”

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our health

medi•cabu•lary + just ask!

medi•cabu•lary the language of healthcare explained

What is Macular Degeneration?

What is Helioplex in my sunscreen?

What is a Nephrologist?

Age Related Macular Degeneration (ARMD) is the leading cause of vision loss among older adults. It gradually destroys sharp, central vision making it difficult to read, recognize faces, watch TV and drive. There is no cure for ARMD. Use of appropriate nutritional supplements has been shown to slow or stop the progressive vision loss. Many people with ARMD are helped by special microscopic or telescopic glasses. Risk factors include increased age, family history, smoking cigarettes, being white and female.

Helioplex is a sunscreen brand offered

by Neutrogena that provides broadspectrum, UVA and UVB protection.

It is composed of two UV blockers, avobenzone and oxybenzone, combined with stabilizing agents: DEHN, homosalate, octisalate and octocrylene.

Avobenzone is an excellent UVA blocker, but breaks down easily with sun exposure.

Oxybenzone provides UVA/UVB protection but also stabilizes avobenzone, along the other ingredients to ensure long-lasting, broad-spectrum coverage.

It is found in Neutrogena Wet Skin, Ultra Sheer and Spectrum+ lines.

A nephrologist is a physician who is specially trained in the management of kidney disease, and kidney-related issues.

Nephrologists take care of patients with a variety of kidney-related conditions, including kidney failure, electrolyte disorders (such as abnormal blood sodium levels, or abnormal blood potassium levels), kidney stones, blood or protein in the urine, and high blood pressure.

Nephrologists also take care of all patients who are on dialysis, and those who have a kidney transplant.

David L. Armstrong, OD Optometrist Central and SW Virginia 540.982.2020

Chad Johnston, DO River Ridge Dermatology Blacksburg 540.951.DERM (3376)

just ask!

What age do children typically start visiting the dentist?

The American Dental Association recommends that your child be checked by a dentist no later than one year of age.

(Most dentists begin cleanings around age three). At one year of age, the dentist can check for rare early problems and discuss dietary do’s and don’ts with the parents.

Tooth brushing recommendations, prevention, and possible fluoride vitamins are other important topics. Getting your child off to a good healthy start with their teeth will benefit them immensely!

Kyle Fitzgerald, DDS Family dental care Roanoke 540.366.3999

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Susan Guelich, MD Valley Nephrology Associates Roanoke 540.344.1400

What is the difference between an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) and a heart murmur in children?

What is the difference between a sterile environment and a clean environment during surgery?

An irregular heartbeat is due to the rhythm of the heart’s electrical system.

Like the cadence of a song, it can be fast, slow, or irregular. When blood flow can be heard with a stethoscope it is called a heart murmur. Children with thin chests commonly have innocent murmurs (similar to sports cars with strong engines and small bodies). Abnormal murmurs are due to the sound of blood flowing across abnormal valves or through holes within the heart.

Generally, procedures that require an incision in the skin are sterile. This is because bacteria can quickly take hold when the skin barrier is breached. By contrast, endoscopy is a clean procedure.

The GI tract already has bacteria in it, unlike inside the body. Of course, the scopes used are disinfected to prevent transmission of disease.

Joelle Miller, MD Pediatric Cardiology, Carilion Clinic Roanoke 540.224.4545

Edward S. Stanton, MD, FACS LewisGale Physicians General Surgery Low Moor 540.862.7181

our health

the latest

the latest

new physicians, providers, locations and upcoming events

Michelle Bushnell O’Neil, PA-C LewisGale Physicians Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine 540.552.3601 Blacksburg

Joseph Nelson, MD LewisGale Physicians Gastroenterology 540.772.5970 Salem

Maggie C. Belton, DO Medical Associates of Southwest Virginia Family Medicine 540.951.3311 Blacksburg

Kami G. Palmer, MD Montgomery Obstetrics and Gynecology OB/GYN 540.951.1550/540.921.2734 Blacksburg/Pearisburg

Jennifer Sinclair, MD LewisGale Physicians Gastroenterology 540.961.1590 Blacksburg

Pheston G. Shelton IV, MD Carilion Clinic Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine 540.981.8025 Roanoke

Anthony L. Loschner, MD Carilion Clinic Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine 540.985.8505 Roanoke

Mitchell P. Kok, MD Carilion Clinic Radiology 540.981.7122 Roanoke

Christopher Wood, DO Carilion Clinic Geriatric Medicine 540.981.7653 Roanoke

Allan Brijbassie, MD Carilion Clinic Gastroenterology 540.224.5170 Roanoke

Richard Truxillo, DO Carilion Clinic Family Medicine 540.562.5700 Roanoke

Christian Klaus, DO Carilion Clinic Family Medicine 540.265.5500 Roanoke

Robert J. Heineck, MD Carilion Clinic Obstetrics and Gynecology 540.961.1058 Blacksburg

Michole C. Pineda, MD Carilion Clinic Pediatric Medicine 540.772.4453 Roanoke

Jonathan I. Gleason, MD Carilion Clinic Urogynecology 540.985.4099 Roanoke

Melanie D. Altizer, MD Carilion Clinic Obstetrics and Gynecology 540.985.9715 Roanoke

Jason Naldo, DPM Carilion Clinic Podiatry 540.731.2436 Christiansburg

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Allison B. Greenstein, DO Carilion Clinic Internal Medicine 540.639.9071 Christiansburg

Julia Sargent, DO Carilion Clinic Family Medicine 540.921.3636 Narrows

our health

the latest

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the latest

PROTECTED For growth “I want to see people and businesses successful, protected and secure...positioned for health, growth and prosperity.

That’s my passion. It’s what I do. It’s what we do at Mid-State.”

Krista and The Mid-State Group serve Central Virginia individuals, families, and businesses with comprehensive individual and group insurance, including Medicare options, Life, Long-Term Care, Disability and more.

Mid-State’s family of companies offer custom programs for Human Resources, Safety, Wealth Management, Finance, Risk Management, and Wellness.

Krista Wirt

540-798-7715 kwirt@themidstategroup.com

Giles Free Clinic Receives $450,000 HRSA Outreach Grant The Giles Free Clinic, a satellite of the Free Clinic of the New River Valley, was awarded a grant by the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) totaling $450,000 over the next three years for the “Giles REACH Program: Rural Equity in Access for Community Health.

The grant provides funds for development of a non-emergency transportation program to serve uninsured and low-income Giles County residents. Lack of transportation is a leading barrier to the receipt of health care services.

The transportation program will be designed by and for health care consumers, solve logistical problems for local health care organizations, and greatly expand access to the health services provided by the local rural providers.

Giles REACH will be governed and implemented by an outreach Consortium composed of three separate health organizations: The Giles Free Clinic, Giles Health and Family Center, and the Family Dental Clinic of the New River Valley.

The Giles Free Clinic’s application was the only one funded in Virginia of the 70 awarded nationwide.

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Relocation of Fleet Feet Sports in Roanoke Fleet Feet Sports, a locally owned retail store that specializes in properly fitting footwear, apparel and accessories, is now located in the former Play-it-Again Sports building on Franklin Road in Roanoke. Behind Fleet Feet is Lowe’s.

The move doubled the Fleet Feet’s size from its previous location at Townside Festival Shopping Center. The new location allows for a better shopping experience for customers, a better work environment for the growing staff and the opportunity to offer more educational clinics.

For more information, please visit: www.fleetfeetroanoke.com.

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urgent care in the community

ERs and Urgent Care:

When You Should Go Where?

Words [ Rod Belcher ]

When you cut your finger deeply in the kitchen on a knife or your child falls off the swing and is crying that her arm hurts, it’s often difficult to think clearly about the best choice for where to go for care. The traditional answer is almost automatic. You go to the emergency room (ER).

However, another option exists and has become more and more prevalent as healthcare costs have risen – urgent care facilities. Often referred to as a “doc in a box,” these facilities are springing up across Virginia in malls and other accessible areas.

Velocity Care located on Electric Road near Tanglewood Mall

“Access to quick healthcare is not a very common thing in the region,” says Steve Osborn, MD, ABFP. Dr. Osborn partnered with Dr. Serge DepretGuillaume in 2011 and opened Doctors Express Urgent Care in Roanoke, VA. Their urgent care facility is located at Towers Shopping Center and has done a brisk business since opening.

“Many people do not have primary care physicians, and urgent care makes it easy for them to get appropriate medical treatment,” Dr. Osborn explains. “Those who do have primary care doctors often have a hard time getting in to see them without an appointment or on short notice.”

As Dr. Osborn points out, part of the demand for urgent care comes from many people either not having a primary care physician or finding access to that physician severely limited due to patient demand.

MedExpress Urgent Care has recently opened a center in Salem and plans to open other facilities on Route 419 in the Cave Spring area and Christiansburg.

“Urgent care centers are a product that answers a desire patients and families have for healthcare,” says John Burton, M.D., the Medical Chair and VP of Emergency Medicine at Carilion Clinic. “That desire is immediate access seven days a week. Sure, patients can get access to primary care, but they are usually not available in the evenings or on weekends, or you need to make an appointment, etc. Increasingly people want to be able to go where they want when they want seven days a week.”

Demand for healthcare often outstrips the supply of primary care providers.

An urgent care center’s primary mission is to provide immediate medical care during times when a patient’s primary physician is not available.

“The urgent care industry will continue to grow due to the current and projected shortage of primary care physicians,” Dr. Osborn says.

Dr. Burton agrees that shortage of primary care is an issue in healthcare and has driven the demand for urgent care.

PCA in Salem has four locations in the region

“Access is another reason,” he continues. “Many areas have primary care shortages. Although we have excellent access in many areas in the region, others have limited access so urgent care fills an access need.”

ERs serve patients based on the severity of the problem and charge for access to their wide-ranging and high-tech facilities. The priority there is those patients who have a critical condition. The wait can be long and tedious if you have a non-life-threatening problem. The wait at urgent care centers, on the other hand, may be shorter.

“The waiting time at an urgent care is typically much shorter than an

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urgent care in the community

emergency department,” Dr. Osborn says.

One difference in the availability and access to urgent care and ER facilities is the hours of operation. While urgent care centers have extended hours in comparison to the typical primary care physician’s office, the ER is open 24-7.

An emergency room connected with a federallyfunded hospital must provide 24-hour emergency care. An urgent care center may be privately funded, which means it has the right to assign its own hours of operation. Another difference in the two is the ability to pay. ER’s are required, by law, to provide treatment

to anyone, regardless of ability to pay or possession of health insurance. Urgent care centers, on the other hand, have no such legal mandate and may refuse care if someone cannot pay or does not have medical insurance.

The cost issue is becoming more and more of a concern for the average patient as the economy is forcing individuals to watch every penny. In general, Dr. Osborn says that urgent care is a value if you can’t get access to your primary care physician.

“The biggest difference between urgent care and the emergency room is the cost,” Dr. Osborn notes.

“A non-life threatening injury or illness treated at an urgent care will cost roughly one quarter of the price of the same treatment at an emergency room.”

Dr. Burton agrees that cost issues are a major difference between ER treatment and urgent care options.

“There is a substantial price difference, but it depends upon the medical problem and what level of treatment is required before you can make that comparison,” Dr. Burton says. “In general, urgent care charges are less. The ER is equipped to handle much more complicated, costly interventions.”

There are other reasons visiting an emergency room for a relatively minor situation may cost you significantly more than visiting your primary care physician or an urgent care facility. ERs have to charge more because they’re part of a hospital’s overall services and it cost significantly more to operate a hospital than an urgent-care facility. Hospitals must be staffed and equipped to offer higher acuity injuries and illnesses 24/7, 365 days.

Urgent care centers, on the other hand, can exercise the right to refuse uninsured patients or those with a proven inability to pay. This keeps the urgent care center’s overhead expenses lower than those of a typical ER, so an insured patient is not charged higher fees for common medical items. Physicians who provide services at urgent care centers may also agree to put a ceiling on their fees as employees of a private medical company. All this impacts the patient’s bill.

“Treatment at an urgent care center is much less expensive,” Dr. Osborn says.

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our health

“Insurance copays for an urgent care are considerably less than those at the emergency room.”

While urgent care is usually more expensive than primary physician care, due to paying for the convenience and accessibility, urgent cares often compete among themselves to bring prices even lower.

While cost and time are factors in deciding where to go, when your child is sick or you are bleeding, the primary decision is who can do a better job of treating your health problem. Both Dr. Osborn and Dr. Burton agree on the thresholds of treatment between ER and urgent care.

“Urgent care is structured towards simple, focused problems that are generally minor to moderate infections and minor to moderate trauma,” Dr. Burton says. “The Emergency Department (ED) can do all that, plus has the capacity and training to see much more life-threatening conditions.

Urgent care can do simple labs, general X-rays and has simple medicines, whereas the ED has more complex and extended versions of those things.

Anything life-threatening or that has a reasonable possibility that it could be life-threatening – trauma, seizure, chest pain, needs to go to the emergency department.”

Other recommended health concerns that should most likely be addressed at an ER include coughing or vomiting blood, difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, changes in vision, severe or persistent vomiting or diarrhea, large open wounds, sudden weakness, major burns, spinal injuries, severe head injuries, loss of consciousness and abdominal pains.

“Things like sinus infections, colds, flus, fractures, sprains, and minor surgical procedures are some examples of things that can be treated at an urgent care facility,” Dr. Osborn explains.

“For the convenience of the patient, urgent cares have labs and x-ray capabilities on site.

Urgent care visits consist of acute

urgent care in the community

injuries and illnesses that are non-life threatening.”

Some health issues that urgent care can treat include sprains, strains, minor broken bones, mild asthma attacks, minor infections, small cuts, sore throats, rashes, minor burns, urinary tract infections and pelvic infections.

When a patient at an urgent care is in need of treatment more suited to an ER, then 911 is activated and the patient is stabilized as best a possible while awaiting

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1209 Richmond Avenue Next to Starbucks® 540-885-0629

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urgent care in the community

transport to the emergency room.

Looking ahead, there appears to be a growing demand for more advanced healthcare by more and more patients. This is a situation the respective industries will have to address and prepare for.

“With the roll out of the Affordable Care Act, 30 million additional people will have insurance coverage,” Dr. Osborn says. “Additionally, these 30 million more patients will also need convenient access to healthcare and urgent care facilities will help bridge the gap between the emergency room and the shortage of primary care physicians.”

Some healthcare facilities associated with an ER and some urgent care organizations are developing hybrid partnerships that offer patients the best of both worlds.

One example of this is the collaborative care agreement between LewisGale Regional Health System and MedExpress Urgent Care. MedExpress Urgent Care is a healthcare provider that has recently opened a center in Salem and plans to open other facilities on Route 419 in the Cave Spring area and Christiansburg.

“Patients who visit urgent care centers often need more advanced care such as referrals to specialty physicians, lab or radiology services, or even a hospital

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emergency room,” states Victor Giovanetti, President, LewisGale Regional Health System. “Our agreement with MedExpress will help patients receive this kind of care from our health system in an expedited manner.”

“This agreement was developed to help patients navigate the complexities of the healthcare system in the most convenient, seamless way possible,” says MedExpress CEO Frank Alderman, MD. The partnership between the ER and urgent care means that LewisGale will provide a follow-up system for MedExpress patients who require more treatment or an additional visit with their regular physician or a LewisGale-affiliated specialist.

To make diagnosis and treatment easier and more efficient, MedExpress will also be able to electronically transfer patient records to a LewisGale facility or physician’s office.

Patients who normally see a LewisGale-affiliated physician will now have additional options for their urgent care needs during evenings and weekends when their primary care physician’s office is closed, thus playing to the strengths of urgent care’s extended hours of operation.

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urgent care in the community

“We are very pleased to form this partnership with MedExpress,” Giovanetti says. “It’s a win-win for our patients who, through MedExpress, will now have access to several convenient locations and extended evening and weekend hours.”

LewisGale Medical Center is also closely affiliated with PCA, another multi-specialty group in Southwest Virginia that offers urgent care facilities.

PCA is offering another variation on the urgent care model by working to be price competitive with primary care physicians. Normally, urgent care centers are more expensive than primary care due to the convenience of longer hours of operation and quicker access to treatment. PCA currently has four urgent care facilities in the region.

Edwin J. Polverino, DO, the Principle and President of PCA since its inception in 2000, says that urgent care as an industry moves in cycles.

“It’s a bubble,” he says. “We have seen this before in our valley during two prior cycles. This is now the third time I have seen this happen in my career. People try it out, find out that stand alone urgent cares usually

charge higher urgent care co-pays, and the patient counts drop.

Polverino says that PCA only charges a primary care copay while other facilities charge a specialty or urgent care co-pay. This pricing strategy leads to an average $10 -$75 savings for the patient of typical urgent care and up to a $250-$500 savings compared to ER treatment.

Like in any other industry, as more urgent care facilities open, they will need to develop ways to distinguish themselves and offer more services to their patients at competitive prices. Strategies like partnering with healthcare organizations with ERs and setting pricing and services to be comparable to primary care physicians are two ways urgent care is evolving to meet increased demand for healthcare in a 24-7 world.

Polverino says urgent care must continue to evolve to not only compete with emergency rooms, but also with other urgent care facilities in the region.

“I suspect it will be much like it was in the last two cycles,” Polverino says. “The urgent cares will open and people will try them out as they have in the past.

More and more of the out of pocket cost of the visits will get pushed back to the patient from the insurance companies in the form of higher copays and deductibles. Then patient visits will shift to lower cost urgent care centers.”

“It’s hard for these standalone centers to compete with the lower co-pay issue. I suspect we will see a three to, at best, five year bust cycle and then the centers will change to offer primary care services or they will close.”

The partnership between the ER and urgent care means that LewisGale will provide a followup system for MedExpress patients who require more treatment or an additional visit with their regular physician or a LewisGale-affiliated specialist.

To make diagnosis and treatment easier and more efficient, MedExpress will also be able to electronically transfer patient records to a LewisGale facility or physician’s office. Patients who normally see a LewisGale-affiliated physician will now have additional options for their urgent care needs during evenings and weekends when their primary care physician’s office is closed, thus playing to the strengths of urgent care’s extended hours of operation.

“We are very pleased to form this partnership with MedExpress,” Giovanetti says. “It’s a winwin for our patients who, through MedExpress, will now have access to several convenient locations and extended evening and weekend hours.”

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LewisGale Medical Center is also closely affiliated with PCA, another multi-specialty group in Southwest Virginia that offers urgent care facilities.

PCA is offering another variation on the urgent care model by working to be price competitive with primary care physicians. Normally, urgent care centers are more expensive than primary care due to the convenience of longer hours of operation and quicker access to treatment. PCA currently has four urgent care facilities in the region.

our health

urgent care in the community

care facilities in the region.

“I suspect it will be much like it was in the last two cycles,” Polverino says. “The urgent cares will open and people will try them out as they have in the past. More and more of the out of pocket cost of the visits will get pushed back to the patient from the insurance companies in the form of higher co-pays and deductibles. Then patient visits

will shift to lower cost urgent care centers.”

“It’s hard for these standalone centers to compete with the lower co-pay issue. I suspect we will see a three to, at best, five year bust cycle and then the centers will change to offer primary care services or they will close.”

Edwin J. Polverino, DO, the Principle and President of PCA since its inception in 2000, says that urgent care as an industry moves in cycles.

“It’s a bubble,” he says. “We have seen this before in our valley during two prior cycles. This is now the third time I have seen this happen in my career. People try it out, find out that stand alone urgent cares usually charge higher urgent care co-pays, and the patient counts drop.

Polverino says that PCA only charges a primary care co-pay while other facilities charge a specialty or urgent care co-pay.

This pricing strategy leads to an average $10 -$75 savings for the patient of typical urgent care and up to a $250-$500 savings compared to ER treatment.

Like in any other industry, as more urgent care facilities open, they will need to develop ways to distinguish themselves and offer more services to their patients at competitive prices. Strategies like partnering with healthcare organizations with ERs and setting pricing and services to be comparable to primary care physicians are two ways urgent care is evolving to meet increased demand for healthcare in a 24-7 world. Polverino says urgent care must continue to evolve to not only compete with emergency rooms, but also with other urgent

www.ourhealthvirginia.com 25

our health

back to school

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our health

back to school

The A, B, C’s for a Healthy, Happy School Year Words [ Rod Belcher ]

Editor’s note: As a bi-monthly

With summer now in the books, parents and children are now focused on a healthy and successful new school year. For some children, it may be their first year at school, for others it may be the transition from elementary to middle or high school. Regardless, it is a new chapter in the lives of both child and parent.

publication, we have balanced the information included in this article to be applicable to both before the school year commences as well as throughout the academic year.

“For those students who started school for the first time, one of the most important aspects is to reassure the student that school is fun and exciting,” says Chuck Lionberger, APR, Community Relations Specialist for Roanoke County Public Schools. “Young students are often scared the first few days and weeks of school.

They are entering into a strange new world and they will look to parents and teachers for reassurance that they will be safe and secure in this new environment.”

It’s pretty straight forward,” says Dr. Frank Guilfoyle, M.D. , a pediatrician with New Horizons Health Care in Roanoke, Virginia. New Horizons provides quality, affordable healthcare to patients in Roanoke. Dr. Guilfoyle was one of the primary architects in the creation of the pediatric department New Horizons opened in 2007. “Healthy children perform and get more out of school. Parents want their kids to be healthy and to do well at school. We try to provide as many tools and as much help as we can for the parents and the children.”

Healthy Living “For healthy living for children,” Dr. Guilfoyle continues, “a good guideline to use is two hours of screen time a day, of any, and all kinds - television, video games, or computer, and at least one hour of vigorous exercise.”

“There are several children’s books about starting school,” Lionberger says. “It may be helpful to read these books to young children to help them understand that school is

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back to school

exciting and not scary.”

doesn’t creep up on them at the last minute.”

“The start of school is a great time to introduce and form good study habits,” he says. “Especially for older students who will be working on long-term projects and papers. Students should try to get into the habit of starting early on a project or paper so it

New Gear for a New Year Another rite of passage from summer to fall and a return to school is buying new school supplies and clothes. One health aspect of school supplies that is often overlooked is the purchase of a backpack.

Backpacks should be rugged, comfortable and when filled, weigh no more than twenty percent of a child’s weight. Overloading of a pack with heavy school books and supplies can, and does, lead to back-related injuries and poor posture.

“Students are active during school,” Lionberger says.

“Every day students are up and about; running, jumping and playing. Good shoes are important. Children need shoes with good support and traction. That doesn’t mean expensive shoes, just a good pair of shoes for running and jumping.”

In regards to clothing for the new school year, remember that the first few months of school are still often very hot weather.

Dress for comfort and staying cool.

An Early Visit Children of all ages experience some anxiety at the start of a new school year, just as adults often feel the same nerves about starting a new job or moving to a new city. There are ways to help your child with pre-school jitters.

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“Children take clues from parent actions, even more so in words,” says Fran Kiker, Coordinator of School Counseling Services for Roanoke County Public Schools. “First, parents have to set the stage with a normal routine that would include getting ready for school in a timely manner. This is includes a reasonable bedtime, being prepared for the next day with clothes out and backpack ready. Make sure there is time to eat a healthy breakfast, and minimal morning chaos.

Parental attitude is easily adopted by a child. Parents should curb their own anxiety and remember this is a normal stage of life.”

For many children, a visit to their new school can calm a lot of worries and often get them very excited for the coming year and the new adventure school offers.

“People and children especially, feel more at ease when they know what to expect.

If there is any way to practice the routine, or visit the school building, or meet the teacher beforehand, that will help,” Kiker says. “Take advantage of any introductory process to the new environment. Elementary children frequently are taken on a tour of their new school in the spring prior to transitioning.

Middle schools frequently have an opportunity to come to the building in the summer and go through the child’s schedule. High Schools often have opportunities to pick up

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schedules in the summer before school starts.

important health issues about your child.

“Read any school newsletters and check the school’s website for opportunities. Make sure the child knows what school bus they will ride and carries the school bus number with them until they can remember it on their own.

“If your child has an unusual allergy or a chronic issue like diabetes, make sure the school knows the first day everything that is necessary: warning signs, medicine needed. This makes you and your child feel safer and allows the school to help your child in the best way”

Kiker points out such a visit is also a good time to meet the school’s health staff and communicate

“If a child has a health condition that requires monitoring or interventions at school, it is crucial that the parent let the school know,” says Lavern Davis, Associate Director of Health Services for Roanoke County Schools.

“They will need to talk to the school nurse to determine if an individual health plan needs to H E L P F O R P E O P L E W I T H M AC U L A R D E G E N E R AT I O N be done.”

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Davis says examples of health issues include asthma, diabetes, seizure disorder, severe or life-threatening food or environmental allergies, tube feedings, catheterizations. oxygen therapy and cardiac disorders.

“Parents need to provide the school with doctor’s orders, medications, and supplies needed to properly care for the child during the school day,” Davis says. “If a child will require medication at school, parents need to complete the medication administration form and take it to their child’s doctor for their signature. It should be returned to the school by the parent with the medication in the original container.”

Students with disabilities “Students with disabilities often face additional challenges

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with transitions, especially when starting a new school year,” says Dr. Jessica McClung, Director of Special Education for Roanoke City Schools. “This can be extremely stressful for parents. In fact, parents often experience more anxiety about a new school year than our students.”

McClung says she often ask parents to prepare their children early on for the new school year.

For some, this can be as simple as discussing the new school and morning routine. For others, she encourages parents to visit the school and even take pictures of the school and teachers to share with their child.

“Others may benefit from a picture schedule to give a visual of the new school and routine,” she says. “For students with significant needs, I always encourage parents to schedule a meeting with the school staff prior to the school year beginning Finally, don’t forget to communicate with the bus driver or transportation department if your child will be riding a school bus to discuss with them any specific issues or concerns you may have about your child.

“There are many accommodations and supports available to assist and communication is key. School personnel can learn a great deal from parents and, when we work together in a proactive manner, we are able to see many positive benefits for our children, including smooth transitions.”

Vaccinations Different ages entering the school system have different requirement for vaccinations.

“Kindergarten students need a physical dated within one year of the first 34

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day of school and all required immunizations,” Davis says.

Kindergartners should have completed the pneumococcal vaccine series which protects against pneumonia, the varicella vaccine which protects against chicken pox, and the MMR vaccine which protects against measles, mumps, and rubella.

Children that have already had chicken pox do not need the varicella vaccine and should have physician documentation of the illness.

“Sixth graders need a Tdap booster before the first day of school,” Davis adds.

The Tdap is short for tetanus and diphtheria toxoids and acellular pertussis vaccine. Meningococcal vaccine, for meningitis, and a second dose of varicella vaccine are also necessary for rising middle school students. The Tdap has replaced the regular tetanus shot (Td) in the shot schedule. The change was made because of a resurgence of whooping cough which is caused by the pertussis bacteria.

Exams and Screenings Physical exams, like hearing and eye screenings, are excellent opportunities to address potential problems that could impact a child’s ability to learn and perform at school, says Dr. Guilfoyle.

“If deficits exist in hearing or vision, it can impact learning. Our goal with screening is to make early referrals to get the children the help they need.”

He also stresses the need to take a look at iron and lead levels for children entering school.

“Low iron leads to tiredness and irritability,” he says.

“Approximately 80 percent of the homes in this area were built prior to 1978, so lead paint is still a significant issue, since it can have an adverse effect on the central nervous system of children.”

Dr. Guilfoyle adds that the physicals for gradeschoolers are a perfect opportunity to remind children of safety and health issues for the upcoming year which are specific to their age group. His practice

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uses a program called Bright Futures to provide children and parents with “snapshot” health profiles of possible issues headed their way at each specific age. For example, girls in the 11 to 12 year old age bracket could have their parents consider the HPV (Human Papillomavirus) vaccine for their daughters.

A visit to your child’s dentist prior to school starting for a regular cleaning and fluoride treatment will mean they will be showing off their brightest smiles their first day.

Students returning to school who wish to play a sport need to have a physical and most school divisions in Virginia require the use of the Virginia High School League physical form, or VHSL form, for the sports physicals.

Preparation, planning, and some summertime structure can go a long way towards making the start of school much more relaxing and rewarding for your children and for you.

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Make a checklist or have a school preparation notebook to help keep everything on track. Talk to your family doctor or your local health department to find out what your child is required to have in the way of exams and vaccinations. Local health departments often provide these services to families struggling with finances at a reduced fee or for free.

“There is lots of good information and assistance to parents out there to get their children ready,” Dr. Guilfoyle says. “It’s up to the parents to take advantage of it.”

“Talk about what will happen,” Kiker says.

“Remember that younger children are very literal and may not understand terms about school that they have not encountered. Reading books about going to school may help. Connect them with friends who will also be there. Help them understand they are not alone in the new adventure, and an adult is always there to help.”

a guide to

in southwest and central virginia

HEALTHCARE EDUCATION [ BY THE PUBLISHERS OF OUR HEALTH MAGAZINE ]

our health

2012 healthcare education guide

Guide Contents List of Programs HCG2

An overview of the various colleges and universities in Southwest and Central Virginia that offer degrees, diplomas and certificates in the healthcare field.

Special Feature Focus

A special advertising section highlighting participating colleges and universities with more in-depth information about the health-related education programs offered.

HCG6

Bluefield College

HCG7

Centra College of Nursing

HCG8

Jefferson College of Health Sciences

HCG10 Lynchburg College

List of Programs BLUEFIELD COLLEGE www.dslcc.edu 1000 Dabney Drive • Clifton Forge, Virginia 24422 540.863.2800 Health-related programs offered: Bachelor Degree in Behavioral Science, Exercise and Sports Science, Psychology, Sport Medicine, Pre-Dental, Pre-Medical and Pre-Pharmacy. Bachelor Degree in Nursing through INSPIRE online degree program. Tuition: Undergraduate $29,120 includes room and board.

INSPIRE tuition is $4,020 per semester or $335 per credit hour (additional fees not included).

CENTRA HEALTH LYNCHBURG GENERAL HOSPITAL SCHOOL OF NURSING AND PRACTICAL NURSING www.centrahealth.com/news/centra-jobs/schoolnursing-general-info 1901 Tate Springs Road • Lynchburg, VA 24501 434.947.3070

HCG14 Tree of Life

Health-related programs offered: Diploma in nursing and Certificate in Practical nursing. Tuition: Total three-year Virginia resident: $23,976

HCG15 Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM)

CENTRAL VIRGINIA COMMUNITY COLLEGE

HCG12 National College

www.cv.cc.va.us 3506 Wards Road • Lynchburg, VA 24502 434.832.7600

Health-related programs offered: Career Studies Certificates in Emergency Medical Technician Basic and Intermediate, Medical Coding, Medical Transcription, Optician Theory, Pharmacy Technology.

Associates Degree in Emergency Medical Services Paramedic, Medical Laboratory Technology, Radiologic Technology, Respiratory Therapy Tuition: Virginia Resident: $117 per semester hour (plus a $7.50 technology fee and a $5.00 activity fee per credit hour).

Out of state residents: $293.60 per semester hour (plus a $7.50 technology fee, a $15.50 capital fee and a $5.50 activity fee per credit hour). Special E-Rate: Only $222 per semester hour for web-based courses with fees included.

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DABNEY S. LANCASTER COMMUNITY COLLEGE www.dslcc.edu 1000 Dabney Drive • Clifton Forge, Virginia 24422 540.863.2800 Health-related programs offered: Available Fall 2013 - Certificate program in Advanced Health Care and Practical Nursing. Associates Degree in Nursing and LPN to RN bridge. Tuition: Virginia Resident: $127 per credit hour. Out of state residents: $319.10 per credit hour.

EDWARD VIA VIRGINIA COLLEGE OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE (VCOM) www.vcom.vt.edu 2265 Kraft Drive • Blacksburg, VA 24060 540.231.4000 Health-related programs offered: Doctorate in Osteopathic Medicine. Tuition: $39,000 per year plus fees of $530.00.

HOLLINS UNIVERSITY www.hollins.edu P.O. Box 9707 • Roanoke, VA 24020 800.456.9595 Health-related programs offered: Bachelor Degree in Pre Med and Pre Vet. Pre Nursing in partnership with Jefferson College of Health Sciences and Doctorate in Osteopathic Medicine in partnership with VCOM. Tuition: $43,295 per year (room, board and other fees included).

JEFFERSON COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCES www.jchs.edu 101 Elm Avenue • Roanoke, VA 24013 Health-related programs offered: Associates Degree in Occupational Therapy Assistant, Physical Therapy Assistant, and Respiratory Therapy.

Bachelor Degree in Biomedical Sciences, Healthcare Management, Health Psychology, Health and Exercise Science, Nursing, Emergency Services and Respiratory Therapy. Master Degree in Nursing, Occupational Therapy, and Physician Assistant. Tuition: Undergraduate Programs- Full time- $21,330, plus fees, Undergraduate Programs- Part time- $620 per credit hour, plus fees, Graduate Program - $665 per credit hour, plus fees. On campus residence available $2,700 per semester and $1,475 for summer session.

LIBERTY UNIVERSITY www.liberty.edu 1971 University Boulevard • Lynchburg, VA 24502 434.582.2000

Health-related programs offered: Bachelor Degree in Athletic Training, Exercise Science, Health Promotion, Kinesiology and Nursing.

Masters Degree in Public Health. On-line Bachelors Degree in Nursing. On-line Masters Degree in Healthcare Management, Nursing and Public Health. Tuition: Resident undergraduate - $27,018 per year. Graduate - $455 per credit hour. Online undergraduate tuition - $365 per credit hour part-time rate, $325 – full-time. On-line graduate tuition - $505 per credit hour part-time rate, and $465 full-time (additional fees not included).

LYNCHBURG COLLEGE www.lynchburg.edu 1501 Lakeside Drive • Lynchburg, VA 24501 434.544.8100 Health-related programs offered: Bachelor Degree in Biomedical Science, Exercise Physiology, Health Promotion, Nursing, Pre Health, and Psychology. Master Degree in Nursing, RN to MSN Pathway. Doctorate in Physical Therapy. Tuition: Undergraduate $31,060 per year. Graduate tuition $430 per credit hour. Doctorate tuition $13,300 fall/spring semester and $4,800 summer term (room, board and other fees not included).

NATIONAL COLLEGE - DANVILLE CAMPUS www.national-college.edu Danville Campus 336 Old Riverside Drive • Danville, VA 24541 434.793.6822 Health-related programs offered: Diploma programs in Medical Office Assistant and Specialist, Pharmacy Technician, and Phlebotomy. Associates Degree in Medical Assisting and Surgical Technology.

Bachelor Degree in Health Care Management. Tuition: Undergraduate tuition $314 per credit hour (additional fees not included).

www.ourhealthvirginia.com HCG3

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NATIONAL COLLEGE - HARRISONBURG CAMPUS 1515 Country Club Road • Harrisonburg, VA 22802 540.432.0943 Health-related programs offered: Diploma programs in Medical Billing and Coding, Medical Office Assistant and Specialist, Pharmacy Technician, and Phlebotomy. Associates Degree in Medical Assisting and Surgical Technology. Bachelor Degree in Health Care Management. Tuition: Undergraduate tuition $314 per credit hour (additional fees not included).

NATIONAL COLLEGE - LYNCHBURG CAMPUS 104 Candlewood Court • Lynchburg, VA 24505 434.239.3500 Health-related programs offered: Diploma programs in Medical Billing and Coding, Medical Office Assistant and Specialist, and Pharmacy Technician. Associates Degree in Medical Assisting.

Bachelor Degree in Health Care Management. Tuition: Undergraduate tuition $314 per credit hour (additional fees not included).

NATIONAL COLLEGE - MARTINSVILLE CAMPUS 905 N. Memorial Boulevard • Martinsville, VA 24112 276.632.5621 Health-related programs offered: Diploma programs in Medical Billing and Coding, Medical Office Assistant Specialist, and Pharmacy Technician.

Associates Degree in Medical Assisting. Tuition: Undergraduate tuition $314 per credit hour (additional fees not included).

NATIONAL COLLEGE - ROANOKE CAMPUS 1813 East Main Street • Salem, VA 24153 540.986.1800 Health-related programs offered: Diploma programs in Medical Billing and Coding, Medical Office Assistant Specialist, and Pharmacy Technician.

Associates Degree in Health Information Technology, Medical Assisting and Paramedic. Bachelor Degree in Health Care Management. Tuition: Undergraduate tuition $314 per credit hour (additional fees not included).

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NEW RIVER COMMUNITY COLLEGE www.nr.edu 5251 College Drive • Dublin, VA 24084 540.674.3600 or 1.866.462.6722 Health-related programs offered: Associates Degree in Nursing. Certificate programs in Practical Nursing. Tuition: Virginia resident: $127.05 per credit hour. Out- of-state resident: $319.15 per credit hour (includes additional fees).

RANDOPH COLLEGE www.randolphcollege.edu 2500 Rivermount Avenue • Lynchburg, VA 24503 434.947.8000 Health-related programs offered: Bachelor Degree in Health Service, Psychology, Pre Med and Pre Vet. Tuition: $42,330 per year (room, board and other fees included). Part-time rate $1,295 per credit hour.

RADFORD UNIVERSITY www.radford.edu 801 East Main Street • Radford , VA 24142 540.831.5000 Health-related programs offered: Bachelor Degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders, Exercise Sport and Health Education, Nutrition and Dietetics, Nursing, Pre Pharmacy and Psychology. Masters Degree in Communications Science and Disorders, Counseling and Human Development, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Psychology. Doctorate Degree in Counseling Psychology. Tuition: Virginia resident undergraduate: $16,608 per year (room, board and other fees included). Tuition only $8,590 per year or part-time $359 per credit hour. Out-of-state resident: $28,178 per year (room, board and other fees included). Part-time $841 per credit hour. Graduate and Doctorate program tuitions vary per program and residence. RU School of Nursing (on-line): Doctor of Nursing Practice Program. In-state tuition $435 per credit hour; Out of state $877 per credit hour. Doctor of Physical Therapy – in conjunction with Carilion Roanoke Community Hospital in Roanoke, VA.

our health

2012 healthcare education guide

ROANOKE COLLEGE www.roanoke.edu 221 College Lane • Salem, VA 24153 540.375.2500 Health-related programs offered: Bachelor Degree in Biochemistry, Health and Science, Psychology, and Pre Health Programs. Tuition: $46,113 per year (room, board and other fees included).

SKYLINE COLLEGE www.skyline.edu 5234 Airport Road • Roanoke, VA 24012 540.563.8000 Health-related programs offered: Associate Degree in Medical Assisting. Diploma in Practical Nursing. Tuition: Tuition and fees vary per program.

VIRGINIA TECH www.vt.edu 201 Burruss Hall • Blacksburg, VA 24061 540.231.6267 Health-related programs offered: Bachelor Degree in Biological Sciences, Human Nutrition, Foods and Exercise, Psychology, Pre Health Professions, and Pre Vet Medicine. Masters Degree in Biological Science, Biomedical Engineering, Biomedical and Vet Science, Human Nutrition, Foods and Exercise, Psychology and Public Health. Doctorate of Biological Science, Biomedical Engineering, Biomedical and Vet Science, Human Nutrition, Foods and Exercise, and Psychology.

Tuition: Undergraduate in-state: $17,919, out-of-state$32,911 (includes room and board). Graduate school tuition: In-state $593.25 per credit hour and out of state $1,162.50 per credit hour. Tuition varies for Extended Campus, Virtual Campus, Graduate and Veterinary Medicine.

VIRGINIA WESTERN COMMUNITY COLLEGE www.virginiawestern.edu 3094 Colonial Avenue • Roanoke, VA 24015 540.857.VWCC (8922) Health-related programs offered: Associates Degree in Dental Hygiene, Nursing, Radiography, and Veterinary Technology. Certificate Programs in Electronic Medical Records Management, Practical Nursing, Radiation Oncology, and Surgical Technology.

Tuition: Virginia Resident- $135.09 per credit hour, Non-Virginia Resident- $327.19 per credit hour, NonVirginia Resident E-Rate- $222 per credit hour.

WYTHEVILLE COMMUNITY COLLEGE www.wcc.vccs.edu 1000 E Main Street • Wytheville, VA 24382 276.223.4700 Health-related programs offered: Certificate programs in Medical Office Clerk and Practical Nursing.

Associates Degree in Dental Hygiene, Emergency Medical Services- Paramedic, Medical Laboratory Technology, Nursing, Physical Therapist Assistant, Radiologic Technology, and Respiratory Care (offered in partnership with Southwest Virginia Community College. Tuition: Virginia resident: $127 per credit hour.

Out-of-state resident: $319.10 per credit hour.

VIRGINIA TECH CARILION SCHOOL OF MEDICINE www.vtc.vt.edu 2 Riverside Circle • Roanoke, VA 24016 540.526.2500 Health-related programs offered: Doctorate of Medicine. Tuition: $43,550 per year.

www.ourhealthvirginia.com HCG5

our health

2012 healthcare education guide • ADVERTORIAL

BLUEFIELD COLLEGE

Bluefield College, Virginia’s premier Christ-Centered liberal arts institution, prepares Registered Nurse Students to receive Baccalaureate in Nursing, using online delivery format. culminating capstone and three of the courses have a corresponding clinical/lab component.

Bluefield College is a Christ-centered liberal arts college in covenant with the Baptist General Association of Virginia. The vision of Bluefield College is to be a nationally recognized Christcentered liberal arts college, preparing innovative learners and transformational leaders to impact the world. The College was founded in 1922 as a two-year college in Bluefield, Virginia and today has grown to a four-year liberal arts college. Bluefield College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30o33-4097; Telephone number 404679-4501) to award the baccalaureate degree. Bluefield College is ranked amount the Top 50 Baccalaureate Colleges in the South in U.S. News and World Report’s America’s Best Colleges.

Bluefield College has offered a degree completion curriculum to serve the community by way of an accelerated, intensive delivery system since the early 1990s. Currently, it offers adult accelerated programs, known as inSPIRE. The inSPIRE program has five options: Management and Leadership, Human Services, Criminal Justice, Public Safety and in January 2012 the online Registered Nurse to Baccalaureate in Nursing (RN-BSN) curriculum was implemented.

The Bluefield College School of Nursing (BC SON) innovative online program will be a new model for the RN with a specialized focus in rural health care and will create a career pathway that is community-based, culturally focused, evidence-based, and global in nature. The degree will require 126 credit hours with 37 nursing credit hours over six, eight-week sessions (three academic semesters) with ongoing open enrollment every session. The 37 credit hours are inclusive of a three hour

HCG6

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The curriculum builds upon the foundation of competencies attained by the registered nurse in the associate degree program; and, broadens the expansion of knowledge, critical thinking skills, and application to impact the quality of healthcare for the client. Courses will be offered using an E-racer platform management system with some asynchronous video streaming, allowing the adult online learners to use visual and auditory senses to learn complex concepts and to improve and augment online learning. Courses in the curriculum are based on the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice recommended substantive areas and the nursing standards of the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), an autonomous nursing accreditation agency that contributes to the improvement of the public’s health. CCNE works to ensure the quality and integrity of baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs.

Dr. Carolyn Lewis, Dean of the BC SON states, “As the landscape of health care reform changes and population shifts affect the delivery of health care priorities, it is imperative that transformation must also happen in nursing and nursing education. The Institute of Medicine Report released in October 2010, a recommendation to increase the proportion of all nurses with a baccalaureate degree to 80 percent by 2020. Higher educational institutions must provide an infrastructure to allow this to happen without compromising academic excellence. We believe our BC SON program meets this challenge. “ Bluefield College online degree programs are designed for adult learners who want to advance their education and career while maintain professional, familial and social commitments.

The online programs are convenient, nationally recognized and affordable. The tuition rate is $335.00 per hour and eBooks are included in the rate. These online programs further allow the student to complete their degree without scarifying professional work commitments. For more information about the RN-BSN program call 800.872.0176 or visit www.bluefield.edu/nursing.

our health

ADVERTORIAL • 2012 healthcare education guide

A two-year Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program is offered at the Centra College of Nursing. The ADN makes it easier for graduates to pursue a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing. It takes five semesters to complete, and nurses are prepared with the technical proficiencies and competencies to safely practice in multiple settings, she said. Credits obtained from the degree may be transferable to colleges and universities to be applied toward a higher degree.

“The program provides a cost-effective, efficient means to become a registered nurse,” said Patti McCue, Sc.D., R.N., MSN, NEA-BC, Centra senior vice president of patient care services and chief nursing officer.

An associate degree program is one of the three recognized educational paths to becoming a registered nurse. The other two are the diploma program and the baccalaureate program in nursing, the latter of which is traditionally offered at colleges and universities. In addition, all nursing school graduates must pass a national competency exam to become a registered nurse regardless of academic preparation.

“Centra recognizes the need to have nurses with a quality education take care of patients in central Virginia,” McCue said. “We understand the importance of the role of the nurse. We want to make sure that the nursing needs of our region are met, and we are committed to meeting these needs.”

Centra is relocating the nursing program from Centra Lynchburg General Hospital to a newly renovated 37,000 square foot site located in The Plaza shopping center in mid-town Lynchburg. The new campus features student classrooms, a skills lab, faculty offices and a Center for Medical Simulation and Virtual Learning. The offcampus location meets current academic standards and provides space for expansion for possible additional health programs in the future.

One of the most exciting parts of the new campus is its Center for Medical Simulation and Virtual Learning, said McCue. The center is the result of a grant awarded by the Virginia Tobacco Commission to Centra and Lynchburg College. Central Virginia Community College also is participating in the initiative that will provide students with interdisciplinary collaborative experiences that emphasize critical thinking and patient safety.

The use of medical simulation is expanding rapidly and expected to become a standard in nursing and allied health education. Up to 20 percent of clinical hours can be achieved through the use of medical simulation.

“Simulation is the latest and most effective type of education in which students can intervene, make decisions and take actions in a

highly controlled environment,” said McCue. “The process allows the creation of clinical situations that could not be created in a hospital setting. It also is an excellent way to teach and promote patient safety,” she said. “Students can practice in a controlled environment before working with actual patients.”

Perhaps one of the most advantageous aspects of the ADN is the opportunity for students to do their clinical training at Centra’s Lynchburg General and Virginia Baptist hospitals, both of which have obtained Magnet® status by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), an affiliate of the American Nurses Association.

The Magnet Recognition Program grants Magnet recognition to organizations where nursing delivers excellent patient outcomes, where nurses have a high level of job satisfaction, and where there is a low staff nurse turnover rate and appropriate grievance resolution.

Magnet status is also said to indicate nursing involvement in data collection and decision-making in patient care delivery. The idea is that nursing leaders value staff nurses, involve them in shaping research-based nursing practice, and encourage and reward them for advancing in nursing practice. Magnet hospitals have open communication between nurses and other members of the healthcare team and an appropriate personnel mix to attain the best patient outcomes and staff work environment.

“When students train at Magnet-recognized hospitals, they witness other nurses who are highly satisfied with their jobs and who are empowered to make a lot of decisions,” says McCue. “Our nurses are charged with taking action to provide the best care to patients, and they are respected by physicians for their judgment and clinical decision making. This level of respect for nurses also extends to other clinical disciplines, such as pharmacists, respiratory therapists and registered dietitians, to name a few. Nurses are certainly recognized for their leadership role in managing the care of their patients.”

CENTRA COLLEGE OF NURSING

Centra College of Nursing Associate Degree in Nursing combines exceptional classroom instruction with leading clinical training

All the surrounding colleges, universities and medical training programs have their medical students perform training at Centra Lynchburg General and Virginia Baptist hospitals in part because of their being Magnet organizations. The Magnet recognition, along with Centra’s state-of-the-art equipment and staffing efficiencies make it an ideal place for learning and expanding on skills.

“A magnet hospital is the perfect place for a nursing student to train, no doubt about it,” continues McCue. “When students complete their clinicals at Centra, they know they want to work in a Magnetrecognized hospital. It’s that much of a difference.”

To learn more about the Centra College of Nursing Associate Degree in Nursing, please call 434.200.3070 or visit www.centrahealth. com, keyword ADN, where you can also download the catalog and application packet.

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2012 healthcare education guide • ADVERTORIAL

JEFFERSON COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCES

Jefferson College of Health Sciences: Celebrating 30 years of Healthcare Education Thirty years ago, babies weren’t the only ones being born at Community Hospital of the Roanoke Valley. That same year, a small college also greeted the world as part of the hospital, welcoming an inaugural class of around a dozen students to what was then the Carlton Terrace Building on Jefferson Street in downtown Roanoke.

Initially given the name “Community Hospital of the Roanoke Valley College of Health Sciences,” the school was built on the foundations of several “founding schools” that can trace their roots back to 1914. These schools include the Jefferson Hospital School of Nursing, the Lewis Gale School of Nursing and the Community Hospital of the Roanoke Valley School of Nursing.

The major step forward for the Community Hospital of the Roanoke Valley College of Health Sciences in 1982 was earning permission to grant associate degrees in Nursing and Respiratory Therapy from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia.

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Over the next three decades, the school would evolve into a leading light in healthcare education in the Roanoke Valley, the southwest Virginia region and beyond.

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, the College experienced steady growth, adding to its academic degree options, based on the needs of the local healthcare community. Among the programs that were added during this period were Emergency Health Sciences, Licensed Practical Nursing, Health Services Management and Physical Therapist Assistant. Some of these programs are still being offered at the College today.

Additionally, to ensure the school continued its positive growth, Dr. Harry Nickens was hired as the first College President in 1989. Nickens would serve as President for over a decade and would oversee a period of significant change. In the early 1990s, the Community Hospital of the Roanoke Valley merged with Roanoke Memorial Hospital, which prompted another name change

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ADVERTORIAL • 2012 healthcare education guide

to the “College of Health Sciences.” By extension, the College was also now part of Roanoke Memorial, which greatly expanded the opportunities for student recruitment and clinical rotations in which students could be involved.

partnering with fellow higher education institutions like the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine (VTCSOM) in providing opportunities for healthcare students to interact and learn together before entering real-world clinical environments. In 2012, Bishop was named the Chair of Interprofessionalism at VTCSOM.

In addition, the College earned the right to offer bachelor’s degree in 1995, opening up opportunities in healthcare education to an entirely new population of students interested in four-year degrees.

In 2003, the College experienced further change when it welcomed second President Dr. Carol Seavor and changed its name once again to Jefferson College of Health Sciences (JCHS). Seavor led the institution through some of its most dramatic changes, including nearly doubling the student population from roughly 500 to 1,000 in just five years, and expanding academic programs to a total of 13 in less than a decade. In addition, the College was granted approval to begin offering graduate level degrees in 2005, beginning with a Master of Science in Nursing and adding Master’s degrees in Occupational Therapy and Physician Assistant just three years later.

In 2010, Dr. Seavor announced her retirement and Dr. Nathaniel L. Bishop transitioned from his position as a Vice-President with Carilion Clinic into the Presidency at JCHS. Since that time, the College continues to reach milestone after milestone. In late 2010, JCHS received reaccreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) through 2020. And the academic programs have continued to expand, with new Bachelor of Science degrees now offered in Respiratory Therapy, Health Sciences and an Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program. In 2011, JCHS also welcomed the Medical Laboratory Science Program from Carilion Clinic as part of our Biomedical Sciences curriculum.

Dr. Bishop has led JCHS in embarking on a collaborative program of Interprofessional Education,

To broaden the community’s knowledge of JCHS, an affiliate of Carilion Clinic, President Bishop has also welcomed over 120 leaders to campus from dozens of organizations across the region with a vested interest in healthcare education, including representatives from other colleges and universities, municipal and state governments, local media, private healthcare companies and the professional healthcare community like our colleagues at Carilion Clinic.

With 30 years under our belt as a degree-granting institution and an ever-increasing list of new achievements the College has accomplished, it’s only natural to wonder what JCHS may look like three decades into the future in 2042.

“Today, we’re continuing on the path charted by my predecessors and mapped out even further in my first years as President,” Bishop said, smiling. “I think the College is well positioned right now due to the hard work and keen, insightful vision that went into creating it in 1982 and in the years since. I think we’re at a place now with about 1,100 students in 11 undergraduate and three graduate degree programs that we can continue to move the College in a positive direction in regard to the needs of a steadily growing healthcare industry. It is still projected that between now and 2018, an additional 4 million jobs will be coming online in healthcare. So, we want to be ready to respond to that growing need.”

If you’re interested in a career in healthcare, contact the JCHS Office of Admissions today to get started at 1-888-985-8483, via e-mail at admissions@jchs. edu or online at www.jchs.edu.

You can be part of a growing and in-demand profession that gives you the opportunity to care for our families, friends and neighbors every day!

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2012 healthcare education guide • ADVERTORIAL

LYNCHBURG COLLEGE

Lynchburg College is addressing future health care needs by designing programs to meet demands in Central Virginia and beyond.

Lynchburg College is addressing future health care needs by designing programs to meet demands in Central Virginia and beyond. The R. N. to M.S.N. pathway that began this fall is the newest endeavor, and a Physician Assistant Program is on the drawing board with plans to begin classes in the summer of 2015. Also, work has begun on a $1.5 million grant for a collaborative education initiative between nursing and the DPT program, which launched in 2010.

The R.N. to M.S.N. pathway allows registered nurses to pursue the master of science in nursing without having first completed a bachelor’s degree. “There is already a lot of interest in the program,” said Dr. Jean St. Clair, M.S.N. program director. “Also a lot of folks are now working on the pre-requisites at community colleges so they can enroll as soon as possible,” she added. This summer, Dr. St. Clair and Dr. Linda Andrews, dean of the School of Health Sciences, hit the road to visit Virginia hospitals to promote the program and recruit students.

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LC is the first college in Central Virginia to offer this program and joins 173 other colleges and universities nationwide in an effort to provide advanced nursing education as mandated by accrediting agencies. One such agency is the Magnet system, an accrediting body for hospitals, which is requiring that 100 percent of nurse managers have a baccalaureate or graduate degree in nursing by January 1, 2013.

The agency is also requiring that all nurses who are in supervisory positions receive the M.S.N. by 2020. The Institute of Medicine has made recommendations that 80 percent of all nurses will hold a B.S.N. degree and that the number of doctoral prepared nurses will double in the United States by the year 2020. The majority of nurses nationally and in Virginia do not have bachelor’s degrees. In Virginia, 62 percent of all licensed R.N.s hold either a diploma in nursing or an associate’s degree.

The increase of M.S.N.-prepared nurses will be a major factor in resolving the nursing shortage and

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providing optimal health care. Ongoing research shows that the higher the education level of the nurses, the better the patient care.

emergency, and operating room, family medicine, internal medicine, general surgery, pediatrics, obstetrics, gynecology, and mental health.

“We are committed to delivering an affordable, desirable nursing program that will help nurses to advance their careers and meet the needs of their employers,” said Dr. Jean St. Clair, M.S.N. program director. “At no time in our nation’s history has the need been greater for higher educated nurses.”

The PA program will be housed in the newly renovated Health Sciences building adjacent to the campus where the DPT program resides.

M.S.N. courses are taught in a hybrid format that combines online and classroom experiences to provide flexibility to working professionals. For hospitals that form a cohort of at least ten students, LC nursing professors will teach the classroom component on site.

“The Lynchburg College R.N. to M.S.N. program will decrease the time commitment for the employee and the employer, provide a more cost-effective alternative than two separate degrees, and allow the R.N. to be more competitive for advancement,” Dr. St. Clair said.

The Physician Assistant (PA) Program is a master’s level program designed to prepare students to be generalists. “Medicine is full of specialists,” explained Dr. Ed Polloway, dean of graduate studies, “but the physician assistant gets education in multiple areas so he/she can work in any area.”

The job outlook for students who complete the program is positive with a projected 30 percent growth in PA positions over the next eight years.

The inaugural class and perhaps the second class will be composed of mainly local and regional students due to the convenience factor for students who are considering pursing the PA program but do not have an easy means of attending school. Later, however, the College will be involved with the centralized application system and draw regionally and nationally. The first class will number approximately forty students.

The twenty-seven-month curriculum will encompass classroom instruction and clinicals. Students will work with a variety of patients at clinical sites in various disciplines including outpatient, inpatient,

The new Central Virginia Center for Simulation and Virtual Learning, a cooperative venture between LC and Centra, will be available to students in all of LC’s health sciences programs. The center will provide a risk-free environment where students can have clinical experiences without any fear of injuring a real patient.

The simulation process involves using computer controlled, high fidelity, state-of-the-art human patient simulators or mannequins who simulate actual human responses to numerous illnesses.

Three new simulators will join earlier versions of SimMan and VitaSim Anne, which have been in use for several years.

Located on the lower level of the Plaza, the simulation center is scheduled to open in the fall of 2013.

LC also has an impressive list of established programs including nursing, athletic training, exercise physiology, health promotion, and the Walker Human Performance Laboratory, which provides affordable physiological performance and fitness testing for Lynchburg College students and faculty as well as members of the Lynchburg community.

This year 470 athletes have been screened for heart risk at the lab.

Lynchburg College has applied for provisional accreditation from the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). Lynchburg College anticipates matriculating its first class in June 2015, pending provisional accreditation in March 2015. Provisional accreditation is an accreditation status for a new PA program that has not yet enrolled students, but at the time of its comprehensive accreditation review, has demonstrated its preparedness to initiate a program in accordance with the accreditation Standards.

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2012 healthcare education guide • ADVERTORIAL

NATIONAL COLLEGE

National College fulfills healthcare needs in our local communities through its in-depth and hands-on medical degree and certificate programs Local Employer Finds Valuable Skills in National Externs and Graduates Mikelle Hall had spent many years as a housewife and mother before returning to school. Interested in the medical field, she looked into colleges in the area that were offering short-term medical degrees and came across the Danville, Virginia Campus.

The campus instantly appealed to her because of the small class sizes, the focus on individual attention, and the hands-on nature of the courses.

Beyond having the clinical skills, Mr. Willis explained that the externs that he has worked with also have the needed computer skills that go hand-in-hand with the clinical skills. “It’s really important to have a balance between the two,” says Mr. Willis as he explained how more medical offices are switching to electronic record keeping and having computer skills has become essential in the medical field.

“This is a great program,” Mr. Willis said of the National College medical assisting program, “[and] we would certainly entertain the idea of having more externs.”

Emergency Medical Technology students get a first-hand feel in providing life-saving services

Mikelle earned a diploma from the medical billing and coding program in only eight months and then earned an associate’s degree from the medical assisting program. For her externships, she worked with other National students at Internal Medicine Associates, Inc. where she was offered a job as a permanent member of the team.

Internal Medicine Associates has a history of partnering with National College in the campus’s extern program and has hired several graduates from among the externs who have worked at their office. “It’s really been helpful for us,” said William Willis, office manager of Internal Medicine Associates and Mikelle’s supervisor, of his office’s partnership with National. He said he has found that National College externs are well prepared to go into the clinical setting. William shares that the National College students and graduates that he has worked with were quick learners, go-getters, enthusiastic, and energetic. “That’s what we really look for [in employees],” he states.

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While classroom instruction is an essential part of the education process for students, applying what they learned to real-life scenarios is just as important.

Students enrolled in various healthcare degree and certificate programs at National College get the opportunity to participate in staged emergency situations and put their skills to work.

One such example occurred recently when National College instructors created a mock automobile accident for its students in the emergency medical technology – paramedic program. During the training exercise, students arrived at the scene of the accident where they found two cars had collided, leaving injured occupants trapped in the vehicles. Fortunately, while the smashed cars and

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rescue devices were very real, the “victims” were only imaginary.

Students used the College’s real life-saving equipment to practice their skills learned in the classroom by pulling the “victims” from the car and performing life-saving techniques. The students, many of whom currently serve in various volunteer fire and rescue organizations, approached the day’s activities enthusiastically but professionally, with a keen interest in acquiring the knowledge and skills needed by first responders. For many of us, these students are the heroes in training who will one day be called upon to use those skills in saving lives – perhaps even our own.

National’s RMA Prep Course Ensures Success in Local Job Market

at the Danville, Virginia campus, loves the job she acquired following graduation.

Graduates of National College’s medical assisting associate degree program have a high pass rate of the Registered Medical Assistant exam (RMA), a test certifying the requisite skills and knowledge that enable one to perform successfully in the medical assisting field. In Lynchburg, 100% of the students in the medical assisting program passed this exam in 8 consecutive terms in 2010 and 2011. According to Susan Coleman, the campus’ director of healthcare education, this success is largely attributed to a review course that focuses specifically on preparing for the RMA exam. This high success rate over so many terms has enabled students to become qualified job candidates in the medical assisting career field of the Lynchburg medical community, particularly through Centra Health’s hospitals and facilities, which include Lynchburg General Hospital and Virginia Baptist Hospital.

She had always been fascinated by the operating room, so when the time came to choose a college to attend, she decided to research surgical technology programs in her area. Although there were several colleges to choose from near her North Carolina home, Kristina says she chose National College because they offered an associate’s degree program, whereas other schools offered only certificate programs.

In addition to the RMA exam review course, the program includes two computer classes and three medical lab classes that utilize up-to-date equipment for hands-on training. Students are also required to complete a medical assisting externship where they put the knowledge they gained in the classroom to use. The campus intends to maintain the high success rate of its students in future terms and will continue to update the program in response to the increasing demands of modern healthcare.

Graduate Finds Her True Passion in Surgical Technology

“If I was going to go and put the effort into it, I wanted a degree out of it,” she says. She credits Director of Surgical Technology Kim Joyce, whom Kristina met when she first visited the campus, with helping solidify her choice to attend National. “She was really excited about the program,” Kristina explains. “That drew me in, because if someone’s not excited about teaching their program, I’m not going to be excited about learning it.”

Kristina began taking classes in March 2010 and graduated in June 2012, where she was honored with the E.M. Coulter Award for academic excellence.

She completed an externship with the prestigious Wake Forest Baptist Hospital and was offered a fulltime position there upon her graduation.

Even though it has taken a while to get to her dream career, Kristina says it has been worth it because she found her true calling. “I made a difference in [my patient’s] life for that moment that they were in my room. I love that feeling,” She says.

Kristina Watlington, a former student from the surgical technology associate’s degree program

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2012 healthcare education guide • ADVERTORIAL

TREE OF LIFE

Tree of Life Ministries partners with Tabernacle of Praise to bring medical mission training to our communities Reverand Jennifer Williams, Coordinator Ministry Health

Mike Dodson, Senior Pastor, Tree of LIfe

Nancy Dodson Bennett Pastor Administrator

Tree of Life Ministries partners with Tabernacle of Praise to bring medical mission training to our communities Tabernacle of Praise, a ministry center for the Missions Training Camp for Medical Missions and Evangelism, has a storied history of helping prepare individuals for mission work both domestically and internationally. Located in Florida, Tabernacle of Praise is the satellite teaching campus for Convenant Bible College and Seminary and home of Victory Television Network and WIAM Radio (www.wiamradio.info). Through its satellite teaching options, Tabernacle of Praise partners with other ministries to extend their classroom options.

Through a partnership with Tabernacle of Praise, Tree of Life Ministries in Lynchburg will soon offer faith-based certified nursing assistant (CNA) program training designed to prepare those interested in combining their skills to deliver faith-based care through mission work.

Plans are also underway to offer licensed practical nursing (LPN) and registered nurse (RN) faith-based programs.

These programs will be offered at Tree of Life in Lynchburg, located at 371 Oakdale Circle, Lynchburg, VA 24502.

Another exciting development is the announcement of a two-year degree program in Medical Missions and Evangelism with Theology, which will begin at the Tree of Life Extension Campus on October 23, 2012. This program will follow with advanced degrees, including a PhD.

Angela Graham Director Of Nursing

Dr. Fay Andrist, Co-Chair Ministry Health

The Medical Ministry was founded in 1986 by current Tabernacle of Praise Senior Pastor Nancy Dodson Bennett.

Nancy’s experience in medical missions and evangelism was instrumental in bringing the programs to Tabernacle of Praise and thus to other satellite locations.

Through the Victory Television Network (VTN) (www. victorytelevisionnetwork.com), people can currently access on-demand ministry programming, missions and health videos and classic, faith-based television programs and movies for both adults and children. There are also plans in place to make VTN available through the Roku device, allowing for transmission directly to a television. Be sure to check the websites for Tree of Life (www.tolm.net) and Tabernacle of Praise (www.praiseatthetop.com) for additional information.

Registration for Medical Missions and Evangelism programs will be held September 11 to September 20, 2012 from 9 AM to 4 PM at the Tree of Life campus. The cost of tuition is $150.00 per month. Classes are held every from Tuesday 7 pm -10 PM. For more information, please contact Pastor Nancy at 386.983.7179 or via email at nancy@tolm.net.

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About Tree of Life Ministries The mission of Tree of Life Ministries is to reach everyone with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Tree of Life Ministries is lead by Pastor Mike Dodson, Sr. Pastor Mike was born and raised in Lynchburg, Virginia and attended Lynchburg Public Schools, followed by several years of owning and operating a number of successful businesses in the area.

After entering full-time ministry, Pastor Mike and his wife Debie began Tree of Life as well as successfully birthing or reviving six churches in Central Virginia. He has served on the Christian Education Board for the Appalachian Conference of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church as well as serving as an Appalachian Conference Board Member, and he currently serves as the Appalachian Conference’s Assistant Superintendent. Pastor Mike also serves on the Bishop’s Council and the Planning and Budgetary Committee for the International Pentecostal Holiness Church with world headquarters in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. While he is honored to serve in each of these areas, his ministry passion is and always has been pastoring this local church.

Pastor Mike and Pastor Nancy are siblings who are proud to dedicate their lives to spreading the word of God for the greater good.

We will accomplish this mission by being creative, innovative, and demonstrative in our method of delivering the Gospel message and helping everyone mature in their relationship with Jesus Christ.

We will always look at people through the eyes of God....

Not by what a person is....but what they can become; Not by where a person is....but where they can be; Not by what they have....but by what they can have.

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ADVERTORIAL • 2012 healthcare education guide

During the 2011-2012 academic year, the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM) celebrated its 10th Anniversary since the college was founded. In the last ten years, VCOM has opened a campus in Blacksburg, Virginia, and a branch campus in Spartanburg, South Carolina, which opened to students in the fall of 2011.

Over 900 physicians to date have completed their medical education at VCOM. With a projected physician shortage in the United States, VCOM is leading the effort to increase access to primary care in rural communities. The focus of the college is to recruit and graduate students from, and educate students in, rural and medically underserved areas of Virginia, the Carolinas, and the Appalachian region while developing a sound primary care system with particular emphasis on prevention, enhanced health maintenance, and effective chronic disease management.

Meeting Its Primary Care Mission VCOM has met its goal of recruiting and training students from the Appalachian region, and was ranked by U.S. News and World Report as one of the nation’s top primary care producers, with 59% of students entering primary care residency programs.

Of the first two classes that completed residency, 54% of graduates who began their studies in primary care have entered into primary care practice. More than 50% of the first class that graduated in 2007 is practicing in the targeted Appalachian region, and many graduates are specializing in fields that have noted regional shortages. VCOM also ranks among medical schools with the highest number of graduates serving our country as military physicians.

Overview VCOM is a fully accredited four-year medical school, offering the degree of Doctor of Osteopathic

EDWARD VIA VIRGINIA COLLEGE OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE (VCOM)

The Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine Celebrates 10th Anniversary

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2012 healthcare education guide • ADVERTORIAL

Medicine (D.O.). The college provides state-of-the-art medical education and research, and has developed award-winning programs in primary care and global medical outreach. The college’s sport medicine department has cared for athletes at Virginia Tech, Radford University, the 2010 Olympic Ski Team, and the PGA Greenbrier Classic.

As the only osteopathic medical school in Virginia, VCOM has become a leading institution in training primary care physicians. The VCOM - Virginia Campus is located in the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center in Blacksburg, and includes a state-of-the-art anatomy lab, two theater-style classrooms, and 16 rooms for small-group learning.

care professionals. Custom training and scenarios are available to community health care providers such as hospitals, physician offices and athletic programs.

Global Medical Outreach VCOM prepares physicians for the future of medicine by training globally minded, community focused physicians to provide healthcare for the underserved.

Students provide care for the uninsured and underserved in Appalachia at health fairs, free clinics, and disaster emergency response, and travel to VCOM partner sites to learn and provide assistance in medically underserved areas of the Dominican Republic, El Salvador and Honduras.

VCOM partners with 26 Virginia hospitals for students’ clinical training, and has its own clinical practice affiliate, Academic Primary Care Associates at Montgomery Regional Hospital. Over 400 physicians participate as clinical faculty, funded by VCOM, to educate students in clinical settings.

VCOM has built a strong research program by collaborating with faculty and researchers at Virginia Tech and other institutions, and has received more than $14 million in extramural research funding since 2002.

Advanced Technology for Students and the Community

Research at VCOM takes place in three general categories: clinical, educational, and biomedical science.

The Simulated Medicine and Technology Center is one of the most remarkable aspects of VCOM, committed to embracing new technology and providing all levels of students the opportunity to utilize state-of-theart equipment. The Center features high tech, highfidelity simulator mannequins designed to simulate real medical conditions, such as heart attacks, through pre-programmed scenarios coordinated by physicians on-site. The simulators include three adults, one baby, and one birthing and neonatal resuscitation simulator, all of which can speak or make sounds, breathe, and receive injections. The Center also features standardized patient rooms designed for routine patient examinations and training.

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Research Programs for the Future of Medicine

»» Clinical research focuses largely on behavioral medicine, disease prevention, health education, and the diagnosis and treatment of various diseases of humans. »» Educational research improves student learning by developing best practices for excellence in academics. »» Biomedical (or basic science) research, involves investigating health-related issues to answer questions about the basic mechanisms of cell interactions, cell biology, genetic engineering, pathophysiology, pharmacology, microbiology, and biochemistry.

These research findings come together in translational or “bench-to-bedside” research, in which the results and insights gained through biomedical research develop into tangible solutions for human health and/ or disorders. This type of research often involves team-

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ADVERTORIAL • 2012 healthcare education guide

the same curriculum requirements for the M.D. degree, plus 200 additional hours of study dedicated to the musculoskeletal system and preventative medicine.

Fast Facts about VCOMVirginia Campus »VCOM » is accredited by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA). »VCOM » is the second largest medical school in Virginia. With the addition of a second campus in South Carolina, it has a total enrollment of over 700 students and is the largest medical school in the south.

based studies, where both physicians and biomedical faculty work closely to address key challenges.

»» Tuition is $39,000 annually for both in-state and out-of-state students.

Educating Physicians for Tomorrow’s Healthcare Needs

»» In the past five years, VCOM has made a positive community impact for economic growth by providing over $191 million to the local economy.

VCOM has created a learning environment where the classroom meets hands-on practical education, helping students to master the values of extraordinary physicians and learn to collaborate with medical teams of allied healthcare workers.

To learn more about VCOM, call 540.231.4000 or visit www.vcom.edu.

About Osteopathic Medicine Osteopathic physicians (D.O.s) are licensed in all 50 states to practice the full scope of medicine and surgery.

D.O.s complete a minimum four years of undergraduate study, four years of medical school, and three to six years of residency training.

Osteopathic physicians can practice in any specialty of medicine in which they are residency trained and, like medical doctors (M.D.s), must pass examinations to obtain state licenses.

Approximately 65% of osteopathic physicians practice in primary care specialties (family practice, pediatrics, internal medicine and OB-GYN) filling critical needs in rural and medically underserved communities.

Osteopathic

medical

students

must

complete

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women’s health

A Whisper of Hope Words [ Ruth Cassell ]

Ovarian cancer patients are living longer, but the disease still haunts those diagnosed.

Living with ovarian cancer for four years, she’s already beat the odds of a disease once called the Silent Killer.

Alice Vogt lives in Bedford County with her husband Owen. At 63, she is retired from Carilion, where she worked as a Clinical Nurse Specialist doing psychotherapy and counseling from 1999 to 2010. She chose to retire in July 2010, when the cancer that has become easier to treat but still has no cure made a repeat visit.

“I’m in remission now and I hope and pray I stay there, but ovarian cancer is a chronic illness. As with any chronic illness, it is known to reoccur and sometimes can no longer be treated,” Alice says.

Alice was first diagnosed in July 2008 and has already been through two intense rounds of chemotherapy, so she knows what she’s up against. Her positive attitude and involvement in an ovarian cancer support group, Whispering Hope through the Carilion Clinic office of Dr. Janet Osborne, MD, keep her going and allow her to spread the message she thinks every woman should hear.

“Take heart, know your body, and spread the word,” says Alice.

She is hand-stitching a “Break the Silence on Ovarian Cancer” quilt to convey this message. Teal hearts create a clover shape surrounded by the teal ribbons of ovarian cancer awareness to create a masterful handiwork that tells of Alice’s journey. She explains that “break the silence” is a double entendre.

A fan of the literary device, the savvy woman says there is more than one way

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to break the silence on ovarian cancer. First, women need to know their own bodies and speak to their doctors about any concerns.

Second, women need to be aware of possible symptoms and speak out to educate healthcare providers, friends, and family members.

Dr. Osborne, a gynecological oncologist with Carilion Clinic, agrees that women and healthcare providers need more information and education about ovarian cancer.

“Awareness is improving, but it’s not anywhere near where it needs to be yet,” she says.

Symptoms of ovarian cancer often resemble symptoms of gastrointestinal disorders, like irritable bowel syndrome or acid reflux. If doctors don’t add ovarian cancer to the list of possible causes for symptoms such as bloating, abdominal pain, difficulty eating or feeling full, and urinary urgency or frequency, then they will never be able to make the diagnosis.

According to Dr. Osborne, since the symptoms often misrepresent a gynecological problem

“C omprehensive care at t he end of life.”

As a physician, I believe that careful and kind attention to the spiritual and emotional aspects of hospice can be as important as good medical care.

I’m proud to have served as a medical director for Good Samaritan Hospice since its inception 20 years ago.

For two decades, Good Sam has taken a holistic approach to end-of-life care. We strive to ensure that the last leg of our patient’s journey is just as they wish — and families get the knowledge and counseling they need to fully cherish their loved ones during this sacred time.

-Dr. Wil lia m Finte l, M.D. Associate Medical Director

www.goodsamhospice.org

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Roanoke Valley (540) 776-0198

New River Valley (540) 381-3171

and there is no screening test for ovarian cancer, over 75 percent of women are already in the third or fourth stage by the time they’re diagnosed.

“Women need to understand that some of the symptoms of ovarian cancer are very subtle and they themselves need to be the ones who raise the questions to their doctor,” the cancer specialist continues.

Alice first noticed irregular symptoms in July 2008 when she was 58-years-old. Though menopausal, she experienced symptoms similar to menstruation like bloating, cramping and pelvic pain. Alice followed her intuition and first saw a nurse practitioner and then a gynecological oncologist for further testing.

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women’s health

“The nurses and doctors directed me to keep an antinausea medicine on board for the days after chemo because if I got nauseous, then I wouldn’t eat, and if I didn’t eat, I would lose weight,” Alice explains.

Alice also chose to participate in a clinical trial during her first round of chemotherapy. Dr. Osborne explains that, in addition to the standard care for cancer, clinical trial participants also receive medications that are in the advanced stages of research. Alice participated in a study in which

A CA-125 blood test, or tumor marker, determined that she had elevated levels of the protein found in most ovarian cancer cells and alerted her healthcare providers to her condition.

After an initial surgery, Alice learned the cancer was in both of her ovaries and had also spread outside of them.

“I had these unusual symptoms and it’s a good thing I followed up on them because in a week, they went away,” Alice says.

By September, she had a port to begin chemotherapy treatment.

Her husband, Owen, had one of the hardest jobs during chemo, Alice says. He had to help her keep her head shaved, which he didn’t like doing to her, but she chose to shave her head and purchase a wig once she noticed the first clump of hair falling out in the shower.

The care and support she received from Dr. Osborne’s office helped her know what to expect during chemo and how to prepare for some of the dangerous side effects like nausea and weight loss.

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women’s health

she received a biologic modifier in addition to the regular chemotherapy regiment.

“These drugs target different activities that cancer needs to grow and interfere with new formation of blood vessels,” Dr. Osborne explains.

The Carilion Clinic Gynecological Oncology practice of Dr. Dennis Scribner, Jr., MD and Dr. Osborne provides patients with the same benefits as a larger cancer treatment center or a hospital in a larger city. They give patients options for their care. For example, they use advanced surgical techniques, such as aggressive tumor debulking, which is the removal of the majority of cancer prior to drug therapy and clinical trial medications. Dr. Osborne says the biggest area of research is trying to find an effective screening test for ovarian cancer, so it can be detected earlier.

Patients always have the choice of whether or not to participate in a clinical trial, and the tests are conducted randomly and often blindly, so the results are useful to advance cancer research.

“I feel very good about having participated in these

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studies,” says Alice, who chose the same course of treatment when she entered her second round of chemotherapy.

Today, the self-identified optimist spends her time working on her quilt and speaking up through the ovarian cancer support group. She’s more tired than she used to be and knows her limits, but she’s doing what she’s passionate about—breaking the silence on ovarian cancer.

Whispering Hope – Support Group for Women with Gynecological Cancers »» Meets monthly or every other month 5:30–6:30 pm »» Meetings are free and open to the public. »» Family and friends are welcome. »» Carilion Clinic Gynecological Oncology »» 1 Riverside Circle • Suite 300 Roanoke, VA 24016 • 540-581-0160 »» Facebook – Whispering Hope Support Group

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regional health services

New Hepatitis C Treatment Clinic Brings Specialized Treatment to Local Patients Words [ Laura Neff-Henderson, APR ]

A newly formed infectious disease clinic in Lynchburg, VA is bringing expert medical care to those in the area with hepatitis C. An estimated 3.2 million people in the United States have a chronic hepatitis C viral infection. Most of them don’t even know they’re infected because they don’t look or feel sick, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It is often referred to as a silent epidemic due to this lack of symptoms in so many. The disease is not detected in routine blood work, and prior to 1992, there was no widely used test to detect the virus in blood.

After last spring’s FDA approval of two drugs used for hepatitis C treatment, local physicians Robert O. Brennan, MD, Johanna Brown, MD and J. Scott Wade, MD, along with Nancy H. Downey, MSN, NP, came together to open the Hepatitis C Treatment Center as a part of their infectious disease practice.

The center opened in January and has already seen more than 80 new patients. Drs. Brennan, Brown and Wade are all board certified infectious disease specialists who have worked with AIDS and HIV patients for more than 25 years.

“When these new medications became available in May 2011, it became possible for us to cure this disease for a lot of people,” explains Dr. Brennan, “and it became that much more important to make sure people know they have the disease so they can seek treatment.”

The new medications, Vertex Pharmaceuticals’ Telaprevir and Merck & Co.’s Boceprevir, are considerably more effective in curing hepatitis C than any medication that was previously available.

“The availability of drugs that can cure this disease for nearly 75 percent

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of our patients makes screening vital for anyone at risk of having ever contracted the virus,” notes Dr. Brennan.

Hepatitis C is a contagious liver disease that can range in severity from a mild illness lasting a few weeks to a serious, lifelong, and sometimes fatal, illness.

The disease is usually spread when blood from an infected person enters the body of someone who is not infected. Today, most people become infected with the hepatitis C virus by sharing needles or other equipment to inject drugs. People who get piercings are at an increased risk of contracting hepatitis C, especially if the work is done in an unsterile environment. Before 1992, when widespread screening of the blood supply began in the United States, hepatitis C was also commonly spread through blood transfusions and organ transplants. The virus is not typically transmitted through sexual contact.

When initially contracted, the virus usually results in minimal symptoms that resolve spontaneously without medical treatment. If it does not go away within six months, it is considered chronic and can eventually lead to cirrhosis, a permanent scarring of the liver, or liver cancer. For most people, approximately 75 – 85 percent, acute infection leads to chronic infection, according to the CDC. Cirrhosis, the final phase of chronic liver disease, is the twelfth leading cause of death by disease,

according to the National Institutes of Health, while liver cancer is the third most common cancer in the world. The majority of patients with liver cancer will die within one year. Chronic hepatitis C infection is the leading indication for liver transplants in the United States.

According to Dr. Brennan, for many patients, it isn’t until they develop symptoms of these chronic conditions that they are tested and diagnosed with the viral infection.

Many infected people never experience symptoms of hepatitis C. For others, it can take 20 years or more before any symptoms show up. Typical symptoms include fatigue, an upset stomach, fever, yellowing or jaundice of the eyes or skin, loss of appetite, easy bruising, and swelling of the stomach or ankles.

Dr. Brennan notes that many of his patients discover they have the disease by accident – either they had blood work done for a life insurance application and received the results or blood or blood products they’ve donated are screened.

In the past, only about five percent of people with the disease were being treated, says Dr. Brennan. Of those being treated, less than 50 percent were cured.

He attributes the low treatment rate to two things – the length of treatment and the side effects. The treatment included daily oral medication and weekly injections administered over 12 months and the medications brought on grueling side effects including flu-like symptoms, low grade fevers, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting and depression.

Though still full of unpleasant side effects, the new drugs offer a shortened treatment plan that can be 90 percent effective in curing patients. Doctors are also able to determine whether the treatment is working for each patient within a matter of weeks.

“Patients for whom the treatment isn’t working don’t have to suffer through months of medication,” says Dr. Brennan. “And, for

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patients for whom the treatment is working, we’re able to tell them it is working which makes it a little easier for them to deal with the significant side effects.�

Researchers are working nationally on the development of several other new drugs they believe will be even more effective in curing hepatitis C. Dr. Brennan hopes the new medications will do for hepatitis C what several medications released in 1996 did for AIDS when the mortality rate of that

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disease began plummeting.

Many of the patients being seen at the Hepatitis C Treatment Center are referred there by primary care physicians or gastroenterologists. During their first visit at the center, doctors evaluate how their disease has progressed and determine if they are good candidates for the 24 to 48-week treatment program. “Not all patients need to be treated for hepatitis C,

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but they all need to be evaluated and followed over time,” says Dr. Brennan. About 20 percent of the 80 new patients they’ve seen since January are currently being treated.

The majority of their patients are baby boomers, born between 1945 and 1965, according to Dr. Brennan. Baby boomers account for more than 75 percent of the cases of hepatitis C and are five times more likely than other adults to become infected. The CDC estimates that screening all boomers would reveal an additional 800,000 infected people and save 120,000 lives.

Nationally, the CDC has reported new cases of hepatitis C in patients in their late teens and early 20s, which is consistent with a national trend that officials attribute to a rise in intravenous drug use.

Dr. Brennan advises that individuals who meet the following criteria be screened for the hepatitis C virus immediately: »» Anyone born between 1945 and 1965 when recreational drug use was considered culturally acceptable. »» Anyone who has ever used recreational drugs, including intravenous drugs and cocaine. »» Anyone with a piercing or a tattoo, especially if it was done in a nonprofessional setting where equipment may not have been sterile or the dyes may have been contaminated. »» Anyone who had a blood transfusion before 1992 when the hepatitis C screening test became available. »» Anyone on chronic hemodialysis. »» Anyone with HIV infection. »» Anyone with unexplained abnormality of liver blood tests. »» The Hepatitis C Treatment Center is a division of Infectious Diseases Associates of Central Virginia, who have offices in the Lynchburg and Danville areas.

If you go: Hepatitis C Treatment Center 2215 Landover Place Lynchburg, VA, 24501 434-544-2353 www.hepcclinic.com http://www.facebook.com/Hepcclinic

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specialty center focus

Pediatric Nephrologist brings top rate kidney care to Southwest Virginia children Words [ Laura Neff-Henderson, APR ]

A year ago, Susan Guelich, MD, was working as an assistant professor at Wake Forest’s Brenner Children’s Hospital in WinstonSalem, NC. Today, the board certified pediatric nephrologist spends her days at Valley Nephrology helping make life better for hundreds of children in Southwest Virginia.

Pediatric nephrologists take care of children and young adults with all sorts of kidney problems including high blood pressure, kidney stones, electrolyte disorders (potassium, sodium), urinary tract infections, urinary reflux, blood or protein in the urine, kidney failure, dialysis and transplant. They also help children with diabetes take care of their kidneys.

Already in high demand, Dr. Guelich’s presence locally means hundreds of families in the area no longer have to travel to Charlottesville, Richmond, or WinstonSalem for treatment.

Chronic bladder infections and bed wetting are among the more common problems Dr. Guelich’s patients, who range in age from newborn babies diagnosed in utero to college age students, report.

One in every 1,000 babies born has a kidney anomaly at birth, according to an article published recently in “Pediatric Nephrology.” For other patients, it’s their pediatrician who discovers the kidney abnormalities during routine well-child visits.

Dr. Guelich talks with her 10-year-old patient, Ashley Dixon of Wytheville, VA.

“Kidney related illness can often be asymptomatic, so it’s really important that families go for well-child checkups with their pediatricians,” says Dr. Guelich, a South Carolina native and the mother of two toddlers.

“That’s usually the first time they know they have a problem,” continues Dr. Guelich, adding that often times an elevated level of protein the urine is the first indicator that the kidneys may not be working properly.

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One in 100,000 children (under the age of 19) develops kidney failure each year, according to the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse. Adults are about 20 times more likely to develop kidney failure than children.

Dr. Guelich also sees a fair number of teenage patients whose kidney illnesses are related to obesity or those that have kidney disease triggered by an auto-immune disease like lupus.

Although many of these kidney anomalies seem common to Dr. Guelich because she spends her days treating patients with these illnesses, the reality is that many of the serious kidney problems are rather uncommon.

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Not only is she in high demand, she’s already making a difference in the community.

In June, Dr. Guelich treated 10-year-old Ashley Dixon of Wytheville, VA. Dixon developed hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS), a serious and sometimes fatal disease caused by E. coli bacteria. The infection in the digestive system produces toxic substances that destroy red blood cells, causing kidney injury. HUS is the most common cause of acute kidney failure in children. Several large outbreaks in 1992 and 1993 were linked to undercooked hamburger meat contaminated with E. coli.

“If Susan wasn’t here, I don’t know what we would have done,” says Dixon’s mom, Rosetta Dixon. “My daughter might not have made it.”

Ashley spent several weeks in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Carilion Children’s Clinic in Roanoke, VA. Although the drive from Wytheville to Roanoke isn’t a short one, Rosetta knows that Ashley could have been in a hospital much further away.

Not having Dr. Guelich in the area would definitely have made life more complicated during an already stressful time for her family, says Rosetta Dixon.

Having a child undergoing treatment for any type of kidney illness can be very stressful for any family, according to Dr. Guelich. For many patients, the treatment is ongoing and can last a lifetime.

Having to travel back and forth across the state for care can be very difficult for even the strongest families, she explains.

“Sometimes you just can’t fix things in medicine, but you can always make things better,” says Dr. Guelich.

Some of the symptoms associated with a kidney illness include: »» High blood pressure »» Failure to grow well »» Blood in the urine »» Swelling »» A change in the output, color, or frequency of urine Dr. Guelich chose to specialize in pediatric nephrology because it allows her to care for children with chronic and complex medical concerns over an extended period of time.

“Seeing these kids who seem to be in such a dire situation grow up is wonderful,” she says. “It’s amazing how children can deal with illness – they don’t get down about things. It’s really inspirational to see.”

Dr. Guelich earned her bachelor’s degree from Duke University in 1997 and her MD from the Medical University of South Carolina - Charleston in 2002. She completed her residency and her fellowship at Vanderbilt University.

Valley Nephrology is located at 2602 Franklin Road SW, Roanoke, VA 24014.

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control CALL US TODAY TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT

We are proud to provide a unique and specialized service for parents and children of Southwest Virginia with our new resident Pediatric Nephrologist, Dr. Guelich. This exceptional resource can assist parents whose children suffer from:

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2602 Franklin Road Roanoke VA 24014 540-344-1400

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men’s health

Words [ Sheila Ellis-Glasper ]

More Awareness is Needed when it Comes to Prostate Cancer Many men with Prostate cancer explain, ‘if it wasn’t for their wives making them get tested they would have never known they had cancer,’ says Dennis Garvin, MD, a urologist at Urological Surgery PC in Salem.

A report finds that for every prostate cancer drug on the market, there are seven used to treat breast cancer, and federal spending on breast cancer research outpaces prostate cancer spending by a ratio of nearly two to one, according to the BusinessWeek article.

That’s why: “Women are going to be very instrumental in creating awareness and helping find a cure,” Garvin states.

“Women will be the answer to prostate cancer just as they have advocated for breast cancer,” he says.

“Women will realize it’s their brothers and fathers getting this disease.”

Breast cancer awareness has been engraved into American’s minds with multi-million dollar campaigns and pink breast cancer awareness ribbons, but what many don’t know is almost the same number of men are being diagnosed with prostate cancer as women diagnosed with breast cancer.

“We are seeing a disconnect with men versus women,” Garvin says. “Men don’t have the pink ribbons and other initiatives women have,” he said.

“The progress against prostate cancer greatly lags breast cancer research and treatment options,” according to a 2007 article in BusinessWeek.

In 2011, an estimated 241,740 were diagnosed with prostate cancer and 28,170 men died from the disease.

By comparison, in 2011 an estimated 230,480 new cases of invasive breast cancer were diagnosed as well as an estimated 57,650 additional cases of in situ breast cancer. Among those women, approximately 39,520 women are expected to die from breast cancer, according to the American Cancer Society.

“Women’s issues are coming more and more to the forefront while men are shuffled further into the woodwork,” Garvin explains.

Creating Awareness Society has made men and women “sexually insecure,” Garvin says. “I feel that it is the risk of loss of sexual function that prevents some men from coming in for testing, as well as creating problems for them once they have had surgery.”

This explains why prostate cancer can be a very uncomfortable topic for men to discuss.

“For a lot of men, this is the first risk they ever had,” Garvin says. “And all they did was get a blood test and now they are diagnosed with cancer. They feel fine and had no issues before the test.”

According to the CDC, Men of African-American descent are at a significantly higher risk of developing prostate cancer than white men. Among black men, 19 percent — nearly one in five — will be diagnosed with prostate cancer, and five percent of those will die from this disease.

Creating prostate cancer awareness in African American community has been successful using outreach through black churches, Garvin says. He

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has done prostate cancer awareness talks at several black churches in Roanoke, he said.

sexual function and urinary control, he says.

At Risk

“Men don’t have to be afraid of this procedure,” explains Dr. Garvin. “Thanks to advancements in medical technology, men can be treated effectively and continue living a normal, healthy life. But early detection is key. I can’t stress that enough.”

As many as 70% of men above the age of 70 have cancer in their prostate, but 70% of men above the age of 70 do not die of that prostate cancer. At the same time, other studies have shown that prostate cancer is one of the top three cancers people die with, Garvin says.

Many cancers are simply not clinically important.

Our problem is finding out which ones will be a hazard to the patient. Some men who have prostate cancer don’t have the type that’s going to be “clinically relevant,” Garvin explains. In other words, the cancer is so slow growing the person may die of another more serious complication such as heart disease or diabetes.

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Dennis Garvin, MD, a urologist at Urological Surgery PC in Salem.

Prostate cancer often does not cause symptoms for many years. By the time symptoms occur, the disease may have spread beyond the prostate. The question is how to detect if the prostate cancer is going to cause death or is it something that can be monitored and not treated until it gets worse.

Garvin says he measures and monitors the rate a man’s prostate-specific antigen (PSA). PSA is a protein produced by cells of the prostate gland.

The PSA test is commonly administered to men over 40 and measures the level of PSA in the blood, according to the National Cancer Institute.

The doctor takes a blood sample and the amount of PSA produced by the body can be used to detect disease, according to the NCI Website.

It is normal for men to have a low level of PSA in their blood, and it’s also normal for a man’s PSA level to increase with age.

For example: you have a 70-year-old man, who has a moderate elevation of PSA. He has midrange prostate cancer. Garvin says he will watch for two basic things in a situation like this.

“If the PSA goes up too fast, such as from a five to a 10 in a year’s time, it’s a sign of an aggressive cancer.” he says.

As a doctor, Garvin says he is mindful of the risks associated with a prostatectomy (the complete removal of the prostate). These risks can include sexual dysfunction, injury to the rectum and problems with urinary control. However, the medical world has made great strides in restoring

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faith & wellness

Former Virginia Tech football standout credits Christ for his good health and fortune on and off the field Words [ Sheila Ellis-Glasper ]

For Orion Martin, Christianity is not just part of his life, it’s what leads him in life. He credits his faith in Christ for helping him make smart decisions while growing up, when he was a star football player at Virginia Tech and in his life today. And when life gets hard, Martin says he takes his problems to Jesus instead of stressing about things that were out of his control.

“It’s a healthy way to live,” says Martin. “Give your life to Christ, and you will live better.”

A Strong Foundation Going to church was not an option for Martin growing up. It was an expectation.

His parents were Sunday school teachers. Orion and his younger brother would often already know the Sunday school lesson before getting to church. The family’s day-to-day activities revolved around church, and the family faithfully attended Bible study, worship service, vacation Bible school and other church activities.

The Martinsville native said although he had a good idea of “what was going on in the Bible,” it wasn’t until his teenage years that he understood the true significance of his faith.

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He was baptized at 13 years old. After that, he began to become more intimate with God, praying more and studying scripture.

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Martin comes from an athletic family. His father played football at William and Mary and his uncle played for Virginia Tech. He was determined to follow in their footsteps and play Division I football himself. He worked hard in high school, but to his surprise, his senior year came and went without one offer from a major college.

Disappointed, Martin decided to accept a partial scholarship from Hargrave Military Academy, a military boarding school in Chatham that prepares young men for life after high school. He wanted to give himself time to see if he would get more scholarship offers.

The next semester, Norfolk State University offered him a scholarship, but he only attended there for one semester.

“My heart was at Virginia Tech,” he says.

During the summer of 2004, Martin left Norfolk and transferred to Virginia Tech with high hopes to walk on to the football team.

He made it.

“I could have easily stayed at Norfolk State, but I would have gone through the rest of my life regretting not taking that chance,” he

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explains. “I thought if I go and don’t make it, I can live with that.”

He was a redshirt his freshman year, and the following year he earned a scholarship.

“It took a lot of faith,” he says. “When you make a move like that, and jump out on faith, that’s when you really test it.”

Martin went on to become a starting player for Virginia Tech, winning many awards and playing in the Orange Bowl in 2008.

faith & wellness

who players looked up to “for not only talking the talk, but walking the walk,” Shelton says on a recent phone interview.

Finding Faith on the Field Faith in God taught Martin to play football unselfishly.

“A lot of guys are out there for the fame, hoping one day to make it to the NFL and make a whole lot of money,” Shelton says.

Where Your NEEDS Come First

Faith and Wellness Martin attributes his low-stress lifestyle to his faith in God. “In the scripture, Matthew 11:28-29, it says: ‘Come to me all ye who are heavy burdened.’

When I take my problems to Jesus he will give us rest.”

Going away to college forced Martin to take responsibility for his own relationship with Christ.

“You know, I was with my parents for a whole 17 years,” he says. “Then they weren’t there anymore; they weren’t there to make me go to church.”

Learning to balance schoolwork and football wasn’t easy, Martin notes.

Then Virginia Tech hired a team chaplain, Johnny Shelton, to lead bible studies and worship services and serve as a spiritual adviser to the players.

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Martin says Shelton played a major role in his spiritual life.

“Once you get off to school, you do your own thing,” Martin says. “He [Shelton] got my focus back and my walk back.”

Martin quickly became a spiritual leader on the team

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Martin admits he once thought that way.

Change of plans

Being active in Fellowship of Christian Athletes while at Virginia Tech helped Martin understand how to use his faith in a different way.

After a successful college football career, Orion had his eyes set on the NFL. The Miami Dolphins selected him to be on the team, but after a few months, he was released. He was later picked up by the Detroit Lions, where he played in four pre-season games. But unfortunately, he was released from the Lions, as well.

“I learned to put God first. I learned not to leave God in the locker room, but to bring him on the field and let Him have the glory.”

Shelton explains that football is a performance driven sport, so it is difficult for players to understand it’s not all about them.

“Adopting this mindset takes a lot of pressure off players,” says Shelton. “The stronger your faith is, the less amount of stress you will have.”

Shelton also points out a Christian lifestyle helps players make healthier decisions.

“For instance, they are not staying up late and partying all night while still trying to participate in sports and then go to class,” he says. “As your faith grows, you are not interested in the same things unbelievers are. This yields healthy results.”

Taking a Stand for Christ Martin admits it was hard to stay away from alcohol and parties when he was young in his faith. But after a while, his friends understood his Christian background. And instead of pressuring him, they respected him.

Shelton remembers the night Martin talked to the team about giving their life to Christ. Once a week, the team met to talk and share their faith experiences. Martin was usually pretty quiet during these meetings, but on this one day, something made him speak up.

“He stood up and challenged the players to stop straddling the fence and live for God,” Shelton says.

“Orion doesn’t talk a whole lot, but when he does, people listen. It was like he was preaching.”

Shelton says he and Martin often talked about the power of faith in life, on the field and in health.

“I can see God using him powerfully,” Shelton continues.

“I can see him as a head football college coach one day.

He will be able to not only teach the sport, but also help develop young people into fine men.”

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There he was, back in his parents’ house in Martinsville.

“No one was calling me,” he says. “I didn’t know what to do.”

Martin was feeling down, but he was determined to keep his faith. He knew an opportunity to make a difference was out there.

“I kept praying,” says Martin. “I asked the Lord to help guide me.”

It wasn’t long before Martin was given his opportunity. It came when Virginia Tech head coach, Frank Beamer, called and asked him if he would be interested in joining the coaching staff as a graduate assistant.

“For whatever reason, God had other plans for me,” Martin says. “I don’t question it. I am grateful.”

Martin was a graduate assistant at Virginia Tech for the last two years. He worked as a camp counselor at Green Ridge Recreation Center in Roanoke County this summer before accepting the assistant football coach position at Franklin County High School.

Martin has a football card with his testimony on the back that he passes out to young people he meets. In short, it encourages kids to realize they are not perfect; they will make mistakes and there will be trials in life.

“If you keep your faith in the Lord, He will be with you all the way. Whatever your put your mind to, you can do it with Him by your side,” concludes Martin.

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