table of contents |december 2013
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STAYING ACTIVE IN WINTER MEDI•CABU•LARY.....................10
This winter, ignore the urge to hibernate
The language of healthcare explained
JUST ASK!..................................12 The language of healthcare explained
THE LATEST...............................13 A listing of new physicians, providers, locations and upcoming events in greater Richmond
HEALTH AND FITNESS ON THE GO..................................17 Health-focused apps you can download to your smartphone or tablet
NEW SERIES: THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT...23 Amidst all of the confusion surrounding the Affordable Care Act, OurHealth provides you with resources you can regularly turn to for information you can trust
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The Resource for Living Healthy in Virginia
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THE INAUGURAL BEST BEDSIDE MANNER AWARDS Recognizing medical providers voted for by people in the Richmond community OCULOPLASTICS.......................67 Jeffrey Zuravleff, MD’s specialized expertise in ophthalmology and plastic surgery gives people in Richmond a chance for a better outlook on life, both medically and aesthetically
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HEARTBURN A minor inconvenience or something far more serious?
NUTRITION SECTION......................57 Time to try some new recipes! Barley pilaf, roasted brussels sprouts, hazelnut chocolate chip cookies
LUNG CANCER............................61 • A new blood test that can help detect lung cancer in the early stages may be the answer to beating this disease head on • VCU provides free lung screenings
DENTAL HEALTH SERIES..........79 OurHealth looks at local, new technologies and techniques that are making dental healthcare easier, faster and more successful
www.ourhealthrichmond.com | 7
The Resource for Living Healthy in Virginia
december 2013
OUR HEALTH’S EXCLUSIVE MEDIA PARTNER McClintic Media, Inc. Steve McClintic, Jr. | steve@ourhealthvirginia.com Susan Sheppard Jennifer Hungate Karrie Pridemore Ed Ip Tom Veazey WEBMASTER Adapt Partners and Brain Swell Media
PUBLISHER PRESIDENT/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ASSOCIATE EDITOR VICE PRESIDENT OF PRODUCTION CHIEF DESIGNER ORIGINAL PHOTOGRAPHY
CONTRIBUTING RICHMOND PROFESSIONAL EXPERTS Tracey Adler, PT, DPT,OCS, CMTPT
Stephanie Crabbe Howard O. Haverty, Jr. MD Seth R. Krawitz, MD Joshua J. McFarlane, MD William Suave, MD Nancy Glenmore Tatum Margaret H. Terhune, MD
OurHealth is pleased to introduce its year-long cover art series entitled the essence of local health. We have commissioned Joe Palotas, a nationally renowned artist located in Virginia, to paint our magazine covers in a way that captures the very essence of local health in the Richmond community.
CONTRIBUTING PROFESSIONAL WRITERS Sarah Cox Rich Ellis, Jr. Tina Joyce Anika Imajo Rick Piester Jennifer Romeo
ADVERTISING AND MARKETING Richard Berkowitz Senior Vice President, Business Development P: 804.539.4320 F: 540.387.6483 rick@ourhealthvirginia.com
SUBSCRIPTIONS To receive Our Health Richmond via U.S. Mail, please contact Jennifer Hungate at jenny@ourhealthvirginia.com or at 540.387.6482
This inaugural Best Bedside Manner Awards’ cover begins our series with a painting of five Richmond doctors who are recognized in this edition. The doctors on the cover are: Top, left to right: Charlie Jung, MD, Virginia Urology; Mark Jones, MD, OrthoVirginia; Mark Katz, MD, Bon Secours Cardiac Surgery Specialists Bottom, left to right: Simon Mest, DPM, VCU Medical Center; and Elke Friedman, MD, Virginia Cancer Institute.
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COMMENTS/FEEDBACK/QUESTIONS We welcome your feedback. Please send all comments and/or questions to the following: U.S. Mail: McClintic Media, Inc., ATTN: Steve McClintic, Jr., President/ Publisher/Editor: 305 Colorado Street • Salem, VA 24153. | Email: steve@ourhealthvirginia.com | Phone: 540.355.3071 Information in all print editions of Our Health and on all OurHealth’s websites (www.ourhealthrichmond.com and www.ourhealthvirginia.com) social media updates and emails 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 © 2013 by McClintic Media, Inc. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited. The OurHealth Richmond Virginia edition is published seven times annually by McClintic Media, Inc. 305 Colorado Street, Salem, VA 24153, P: 540.387.6482 F: 540.387.6483. www.ourhealthrichmond.com | www.ourhealthvirginia.com | Advertising rates upon request.
our health | MEDI•CABU•LARY & JUST ASK
me d i • ca bu • l ar y
T H E L A N G U A G E O F H E A LT H C A R E E X P L A I N E D
What are biomarkers? A biomarker is something we can test to tell us what is going on in a patient’s body. For cancer patients, our main question is whether a cancer might have come back, or if an active cancer is getting worse or better. Sometimes we can use biomarkers to help answer. For example, if a patient has had a colon cancer previously removed by surgery, we might perform serial blood testing to watch for any elevation of a biomarker called carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). Since normally this molecule is present only at low levels after birth, we watch for elevation to signal a need for extra tests. Biomarkers are known for some but not all cancers though ongoing studies may give us new opportunities to employ biomarkers in the future. Joshua J. McFarlane, MD Virginia Cancer Institute Richmond | 804.287.3000
What does “continuum of care” mean?
What is an ocular health assessment?
What is transcranial magnetic stimulation?
The term “continuum of care” describes the type of service that a retirement living community may offer, ranging from independent living, assisted living care, skilled nursing care and sub-acute care, These range of services ensure all resident’s needs are met on a continuing basis.
We are all familiar with reading letters from an eye chart, but checking your visual acuity is only part of a comprehensive ocular health assessment. During this assessment all parts of your visual system are evaluated. Eye drops are usually administered to check the intraocular pressure and dilate the pupils, which allows visualization of the optic nerve and retina in the back of the eye. Common eye disorders such as cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration can be present in their early stages without causing vision changes. Complete eye examinations are the only way these can be detected prior to causing significant vision loss. In addition, ocular manifestations of common diseases including diabetes and high blood pressure can be identified and treated if necessary. Having regular ocular health assessments should be an essential part of your personal health maintenance.
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is a technology that has existed for many years, but only recently was FDA indicated for use in the treatment of depression. Utilizing a focused electromagnetic field, this device can generate a small electrical current in the brain, noninvasively, directly stimulating the neurons in, when used for depression, the left sided prefrontal cortex. By stimulating repeatedly over the course of several sessions, improvement in symptoms of depression can be brought about and, in many cases, remission is achieved. Furthermore, no anesthesia is required, and there is no alteration of consciousness during or after the treatment. TMS represents a new way to treat depression, in the office, without drugs, or any invasive procedure.
Being part of a continuum of care community provides the resident with the opportunity to remain in his/her independent or assisted living environment with their personal belongings. If the need should arise for skilled nursing care or sub acute care, it is immediately available in the same caring environment. Stephanie Crabbe Village at ManorCare Richmond | 804.523.8915
Seth R. Krawitz, MD Virginia Eye Institute Richmond | 804.287.4200
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William Suave, MD Virginia Interventional Psychiatry Glen Allen | 804.464.8471
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our health | MEDI•CABU•LARY & JUST ASK
ju st a sk!
T H E L A N G U A G E O F H E A LT H C A R E E X P L A I N E D
Can physical therapy be used for headache relief?
Are exfoliates and skin peels the same thing?
Many people with headaches may benefit from an evaluation and treatment by a physical therapist. Most headaches have a muscular component. Poor posture is also a major factor that perpetuates headaches. Some people have neck and jaw issues that affect the intensity of the headache. Many muscles in the neck area can reproduce headaches, nausea, and dizziness. Physical therapists are trained to evaluate and determine if there is a muscular or postural component that may be treatable. Treatment might include exercises, manual techniques to relax any involved muscles, and trigger point dry needling. Evaluation and treatment is aimed at the source of the problem and not just the symptoms. A physical therapist may also make recommendations to adjust work stations for proper posture.
Exfoliation is the removal of the outer layer of skin cells in an effort to improve the appearance and health of the skin. Exfoliation can be accomplished by mechanical means such as scrubs, abrasives or microdermabrasion or by the use of certain chemicals such as alpha hydroxy, glycolic, lactic or salicylic acids. A chemical peel is a more aggressive form of exfoliation in which a chemical in higher concentration is applied to the skin. Peels are usually performed in a professional setting and may be superficial, medium or deep depending on the chemicals selected. Superficial peels are generally chosen to treat the texture and pigmentation irregularities seen in sun-damaged skin while deeper peels are more useful for treating deeper wrinkles.
Tracey Adler, PT, DPT,OCS, CMTPT Orthopedic Physical Therapy, Inc Richmond 804.285.0148
Margaret Terhune, MD Richmond Dermatology and Laser Specialists Richmond 804.285.2320
Why do spicy foods, more so than bland foods, tend to cause heartburn? Heartburn is a common complaint heard daily in my office. I try to help by teaching the mechanisms involved in causing heartburn: 1) acid overproduction 2) lowering of the lower esophageal sphincter at inappropriate times 3) poor clearance of acid refluxed into the esophagus 4) stomach emptying delays 5) ingested products that irritate the esophagus. Spicy foods that contain the chemical capsaicin in particular are thought to work through the receptor in the stomach to release a neurotransmitter called Substance P that gives the sensation of heat and pain. It also may cause an increase in gastric acid secretion which can reflux into the esophagus or sensitize the esophagus to acid. Caffeine, nicotine and alcohol may cause more acid secretion. Chocolate, mints, fatty foods, and caffeine also lower the sphincter pressure. A fatty meal will delay the gastric emptying. Howard O. Haverty, Jr. MD Richmond Gastroenterology Associates Richmond 804.560.9852
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What are the health benefits of Yoga? Yoga isn’t one thing. It is a diverse and evolving set of practices, which aim to balance and integrate us on the mental, emotional and physical levels. It has been practiced, and proven, over millennia. Many of the benefits associated with yoga are being verified through research studies. The yoga that most people are familiar with is one small slice of the yoga pie. It includes stretching and strengthening postures (asana), breathing practices (pranayama) and relaxation techniques (pratyahara). Practiced together, they have a profound effect on the quality of our daily living. Regular practice strengthens and tones the body, increases range of motion at the joints, creating greater flexibility and ease of movement, improves blood circulation, boosts the immune system, and reduces tension and stress, among other things. It both calms and energizes and helps us face the challenges of daily living with balance and poise. Nancy Glenmore Tatum, MD, CMT, E-RYT 500 Glenmore Yoga and Wellness Center Richmond 804.741.5267
THE LATEST | our health
the l atest
N E W P H Y S I C I A N S , P R O V I D E R S , L O C AT I O N S A N D U P C O M I N G E V E N T S
Todd Adams, MD VCU Massey Cancer Center Radiation Oncology Stony Point | 804.327.3040
Jori Carter, MD, MS VCU Massey Cancer Center Gynecologic Oncology Downtown Richmond and Stony Point | 804.828.5116
Frances Casey, MD VCU Medical Center Obstetrics and Gynecology Downtown Richmond 804.828.4409
Niklaus Eriksen, MD VCU Medical Center Otolaryngology Downtown Richmond 804.828.5116
Emma Fields, MD VCU Massey Cancer Center Radiation Oncology Downtown Richmond 804.828.7232
Charles Geyer, MD VCU Massey Cancer Center Medical Oncology Downtown Richmond 804.828.5116
Victor GonzalezMontoya M.D. VCU Medical Center Neurology Downtown Richmond 804.828.9350
Santosh Kale, MD, MBA VCU Medical Center Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Downtown Richmond, West End and Williamsburg 804.828.3060
Mark Malkin, MD VCU Massey Cancer Center Neuro-oncology Downtown Richmond 804.828.5116
Khalid Matin, MD VCU Massey Cancer Center Medical Oncology Downtown Richmond 804.828.5116
Sarah Hagood Milton, MD VCU Medical Center Obstetrics and Gynecology Downtown Richmond and Stony Point | 804.828.4409
Asit Paul, MD, PhD VCU Massey Cancer Center Medical Oncology Downtown Richmond 804.828.5116
Michael Porrazzo, MD VCU Massey Cancer Center Radiation Oncology Spotsylvania Regional Cancer Center 540.498.4804
Danielle Shafer, MD VCU Massey Cancer Center Hematology and Oncology Downtown Richmond 804.828.5116
Victor Yazbeck, MD VCU Massey Cancer Center Hematology and Oncology Downtown Richmond 804.828.5116
Andrew M.I. Bogle, MD Ortho Virginia St. Francis Medical Center Midlothian | 804.379.2414
Paul C. Celestre, MD Ortho Virginia Johnston-Willis office Richmond | 804.379.8088
C. Tate Hepper, MD Ortho Virginia St. Mary’s Medical Office West Richmond | 804.288.8512
Michael William Mariscalco, MD Ortho Virginia Chippenham office N. Chesterfield 804.320.1339
Brian J. Swinteck, MD Ortho Virginia N. Chesterfield 804.320.1339
Ashwani Kumar, MD, FACC Virginia Cardiovascular Specialists Waterside Medical Center Prince George 804.458.1740
Jill A. Zackrisson, MD, NFPMC Bon Secours Commonwealth Fertility and Women’s Health Midlothian | 804.594.4700
Jennifer Hubbard-Davis, MSN, FNP-BC Bon Secours Glen Allen Internal Medicine Glen Allen | 804.612.2980
Stephen J. Popovich, MD Bon Secours Primary Health Care Associates and St. Joseph’s Outreach Clinic Richmond
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our health | THE LATEST
the l atest
Brigite Stark, NP Bon Secours Theresa A. Thomas Medical Center Ashland | 804.798.9208
N E W P H Y S I C I A N S , P R O V I D E R S , L O C AT I O N S A N D U P C O M I N G E V E N T S
Misti H. Wilson, MD Bon Secours Virginia Breast Center Greater Richmond 804.594.3130
Lucy Powell, NP Bon Secours Cardiovascular Associates of Virginia Midlothian | 804.794.6400
The offices of Dr. Baxter Perkinson and Associates has expanded its dental practice to the Midlothian area. The practice’s new 16,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art office, located at 14001 Charter Park Drive, has opened and is now accepting new patients.
Cara Jennings, MD Bon Secours Richmond Health System Palliative Medicine
John R. Gaughen, Jr., MD Bon Secours Neurology Clinic at St. Mary’s Richmond | 804.893.8656
Evelyn Frazier, MD, FAAP Bon Secours Developmental & Special Needs Pediatrics Richmond | 804.287.7463
Hannah Bendahmane, PT, DPT Bon Secours Richmond Hope Therapy Center Glen Allen 804.747.HOPE (4673)
Diane Burton, FNP-BC Bon Secours Neurology Clinic at Memorial Regional Mechanicsville 804.325.8720
Lauire Klatt, LCSW Bon Secours Behavioral Health Group at Memorial Regional Mechanicsville 804.325.8882
What patients may appreciate most about the new office is the convenience of having multiple dental specialists in one location. The new Midlothian location will combine following specialties: Orthodontics, Periodontics, Endodontics, Prosthodontics, Cosmetic Dentistry, Sedation Dentistry, Impnat Dentistry, and General Dentistry. The new location will also house a dental lab that will reduce the practice’s reliance on outside companies for the construction of crowns and bridges. Founder and namesake Baxter Perkinson, DDS will relocate from the Huguenot-Bon Air location to the new Midlothian office in order to continue teaching in what will be the practice’s most advanced office to date. Also practicing in the new location is Rick Perkins, DDS, James Crichton, DDS, MaryBeth Wicker, DDS, Dale Rogers, DDS (orthodontist), John Ward, DDS, MSD (prosthodontist), Paige Holbery, DDS, MS (endodontist), and Stephanie Voth, DDS, MSD (periodontist).
VCU Medical Center has opened the Upper Extremity and Peripheral Nerve Center, located in the Stony Point Surgery Center, 8700 Stony Point Parkway, Suite 280. Douglas Boardman, MD, Jessica Frankenhoff, MD and Jonathan Isaacs, MD are now seeing patients at the new facility, providing diagnosis, treatment and care for upper extremity disorders, peripheral nerve injuries and neuropathy of upper and lower extremities. The multidisciplinary clinic provides surgery, Douglas Boardman, MD Jessica Frankenhoff, MD Jonathan Isaacs, MD therapy and nonsurgical care. The hand-to-shoulder specialists offer convenient comprehensive care rehabilitation after surgery and non-operative care for common disorders including radiologic imaging, and advanced casting and splinting such as tennis elbow, arthritis and tendonitis. Call 804-628-4206 to schedule capabilities. In addition there are two certified hand therapists on site for an appointment.
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THE LATEST | our health
Advanced Orthopaedics and Ortho On-Call Fight Childhood Obesity Advanced Orthopaedics and Ortho On-Call is making an effort to increase recreation options and active living at home and school for local youth. Last month, through their AdvanceItUp! community initiative, Advanced Orthopaedics and Ortho On Call were able to donate more than 500 pieces of sports gear and equipment collected from the community to Greater Richmond Fit4Kids, a local non-profit dedicated to improving the health and wellness of children by increasing physical activity and promoting healthy lifestyles. Fit4Kids will distribute the equipment through their programs and community partners to help get local children up and active. Picture: Logan Ferguson, Relationship Manager for Advanced Orthopaedics, hands off the keys to the room full of sports equipment to Mary Dunne Stewart, Executive Director of Greater Richmond Fit4Kids.
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HEALTH AND FITNESS ON THE GO | our health
Health and Fitness
On the Go
Having information at your fingertips; that’s what mobile apps are all about. Empowering users to effectively manage their healthcare and a healthy lifestyle is important to everyone. In our new Health and Fitness on the Go section, we recommend a variety of health-focused apps you can download to your smartphone or tablet.
Yogify Scared to try a yoga class at that trendy studio down the street, only have a few minutes between carpooling kids and dinner, or just want to get in extra flow on the go? The Yogify app by EA Sports can help. Download the app and start one of your first five free classes within seconds. With three levels ranging from beginner to expert there are plenty of options to find what suites your speed. Master over 275 yoga poses with photo illustrations, audio cues, and tips. Available for iPhone through iTunes. Cost: Five free sample classes, then $1.99 and up for additional classes and programs. iPhone
The Heartburn Tracker
SHARE YOUR FAVORITE HEALTH AND FITNESS APP!
Knowing what triggers heartburn is the first step at getting consistent relief. The heartburn tracker helps you monitor each bout by occurrence, dietary triggers, etc. The tracker also allows you to email each occurrence report to your physician so that together you have the information to prevent and relieve discomfort caused by heartburn. Available for Android. Cost: free.
Android
Share your favorite health and fitness app! Scan this QR code with your smartphone or tablet to visit and “Like” OurHealth’s Facebook page, then post a “Comment” with your favorite health and fitness APP! www.ourhealthrichmond.com | 17
THIS WINTER IGNORE THE URGE TO HIBERNATE words | RICH ELLIS
There are so many reasons to stay active and physically fit during the winter months, and so many reasons not to. Unfortunately, the reasons “not to” too often win out, and understandably so. It’s cold outside, and dark, both of which make maintaining an outdoor fitness regime all but impossible if you’re trying to get in a few miles, a few holes or a few sets before or after work. We’re also busier than usual this time of year, with holiday preparation, travel, parties and, of course, shopping. It all adds up to the death knell for maintaining any consistent exercise, fitness or activity routine from about November through January. Oh sure, the gym gets crazy-crowded come January 1 when all those well-intentioned-but-toooften-unrealistic resolutions kick in, but those crowds and their intentions don’t last. Besides, waiting until the calendar hits a new year to resume any type of physical activity is too late. By then the damage has probably already been done. Here’s one reason why.
our health | STAYING ACTIVE THIS WINTER
Remember those holiday parties mentioned earlier? Yeah, there were a lot of them. October 31 ring any bells? Whether you were “checking” the kids’ candy after they went to bed or grabbing “just one more” miniature pig in a blanket (can anyone resist those?) at the Johnson’s annual masquerade party, this is where it all begins. Then we roll right into Thanksgiving, the office holiday party, the kids’ school party, the neighborhood holiday progressive dinner, Christmas dinner—on two consecutive days so both sides of the family are covered, New Year’s and, if we really are intent on riding the party train into late winter, let’s throw in Valentine’s Day for good measure. Starting to see a pattern emerge? We’re eating, drinking and being merry all winter, which isn’t a problem in and of itself, but quickly becomes one if we’re not counteracting these festivities with any type of regular exercise or activity. “The average American gains a significant amount of weight during the holidays, from Halloween through Christmas,” explains Mark Reinke, CSCS, director of personal training at ACAC Fitness and Wellness Centers’ Midlothian, VA, location. “Being physically active helps with that weight gain. If all that happens [with exercise] is we prevent weight gain over the holidays, it makes it easier coming out of the holidays.” Preventing weight gain, however, is just one of numerous reasons that local health and wellness experts have identified as reasons to maintain a fitness program over the holidays and throughout the winter. Reinke also says that exercise helps prevent or lessen the effects of seasonal affective disorder (SAD), which causes some people to experience depression and feelings of lethargy during the winter months and may be tied to diminished levels of sunshine. “Staying active is something that helps contribute to mood elevation and positive changes since we don’t see the sun as much because we’re not outside,” he explains. Reinke points to injury prevention as another reason to stay active throughout the winter. “A lot of times, we see an increase in people with musculoskeletal injuries in spring as they get back to being active, whether it’s hiking, sports or playing with the kids. If you do nothing over the winter, you have a higher risk of injury when you come out the other side. Even if it’s just little things, it stands to reason that being physically active over the winter helps prevent some of those injuries over spring. Winter also is the time when illness levels tend to spike as people 20 | www.ourhealthrichmond.com
STAYING ACTIVE THIS WINTER | our health
are affected with colds or even the flu. This is another area in which exercise has positive benefits. Nancy Glenmore Tatum is a gerontologist and the owner of Glenmore Yoga and Wellness Center in the Short Pump area of the West End. She says that movement and exercise really help increase the circulatory system, which in turn boosts the immune system. “Yoga is very beneficial to the immune system,” she explains. “We don’t think about it, but the lymphatic system only pumps when we move and muscular movement heals and strengthens the immune system. The more sedentary we are, the weaker our immune system will be.” Tatum adds that movement, whether it’s through yoga or other exercise, also helps keep the body limber and the muscles strong. At the same time, exercise helps prevent balance issues in older people, reducing their risk for falls. While improving physical well-being is an obvious benefit that’s tied directly to staying fit and active throughout the winter, it isn’t the only benefit. Whether it’s due to anxiety caused by family tensions and the increased amount of time spent with family, or financial pressures, or simply a jam-packed end-of-year schedule, the winter holidays can be stressful and take their toll on mental well-being. “There’s so much anxiety around the holidays,” Tatum agrees. “To be able to maintain your balance and calm is important, and yoga is a way of increasing balance and calming the nervous system.” Since weather and lack of daylight are often the primary reasons people cite for their activity levels’ dropping off during the winter, it’s important to remember that fitness centers— or gyms or sports facilities or whatever terminology is used to describe them—can be an easy and fun outlet for maintaining activity levels. Modern fitness centers are far removed from the image some people have—a bunch of free weights and
Glenmore Yoga & Wellness Center Student
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a lot of very muscular people lifting them. Today’s fitness centers offer a wide variety of family fun and fitness for all ages, from children to senior citizens. Childcare services, personal trainers, heated indoor pools, support groups, exercise classes, health and medical assessments, and an endless array of exercise and strengthening equipment are just a few of the features found at fitness and wellness centers today. For example, locally the ACAC Fitness and Wellness Centers and the Zacharias Ganey Health Institute offer many of these resources and are helping people improve their lives throughout the winter months and year-round. The Zacharias Ganey Health Institute, according to Founder and CoManaging Partner Madge Zacharias Ganey, helps people improve their lives through exercise, nutrition and education—a comprehensive program that puts all the pieces together. One of the most important resources they offer is a no-obligation, individualized health assessment and medical review for every participant. Additional features at the institute include support groups for weight management, dieticians, guest lectures by local physicians, ZUMBA® and Pilates classes, and a large, warm pool. At ACAC, Mark Reinke explains that their indoor facilities are an important part of members’ attraction to the facility, particularly during the colder months. The approximate 63,000-square-foot facility includes basketball courts, an indoor pool, indoor tennis courts and more than 100 pieces of cardio equipment. And, like other fitness centers, group exercise classes focusing on indoor cycling, Pilates, yoga, and strength and conditioning, coupled with a personal training department, help participants maintain their interest level, improve their fitness and avoid injury. If you’re going to partake of all that the holidays offer, and chances are you will, wouldn’t it be more fun and enjoyable to experience those festivities guilt-free and feel great throughout the winter? You can, simply by making a commitment to staying active during that time of year when it’s the most difficult to be active.
Mark Reinke, CSCS, director of personal training at ACAC Fitness and Wellness Centers’ Midlothian, VA, location.
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THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT:
NEW SERIES
Where to Go for Information? words | RICK PIESTER
With all the rhetoric about the nation’s new healthcare law, it seems that it’s getting tougher and tougher to find accurate, reliable information on what the law includes, what it does not include and how to sign up for health insurance. The problems become especially challenging because a great deal of the information out there is wrong, intentionally or otherwise. Most Americans have only very vague information on what the law does and does not do. That information gap, combined with the extreme political volatility wrapped around the healthcare law, has created plenty of opportunities for those on all sides of the debate to define the new law in ways that serve their own political purposes. And the flawed launch of the government’s healthcare site—an especially catastrophic rollout in states like Virginia that have opted to be included in the federal Medicaid expansion rather than craft their own— makes it even more difficult and frustrating to get clear, accurate information. Even the highly respected Consumer Reports took to task a well-known conservative television personality who misconstrued the law in an effort to discredit it. But our bodies are not members of any political party. And there is arguably nothing more important than access to healthcare. That’s why OurHealth took a look at many of the vehicles that purportedly bear information on the new law, to try to find the sources that include reliable, accurate facts, stated in a clear and understandable way. www.ourhealthrichmond.com | 23
THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT | our health
First, the basics: The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), otherwise known as “Obamacare,” became the law in March 2010. In June 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the law, and the law was a major issue in the 2012 election that returned President Barack Obama to the White House. The ACA represents the most significant regulatory overhaul of the country’s healthcare system since the passage of Medicare and Medicaid in 1965. Its purpose is to make health insurance available and affordable to the estimated 14 million Americans who do not have it. Among the major features of the new law: • Insurers will not be allowed to turn people down or charge higher premiums for preexisting medical conditions. • Almost all legal residents of the U.S. will be required to have health insurance of some kind by a March 2014 deadline. Most people who already have health insurance can keep the coverage they have if they are satisfied with it. • People who remain uninsured may be subject to a fine at income tax time. • To make health insurance more affordable, low-income and moderate-income households will receive financial assistance to assist with insurance premiums, and some households will qualify for reduced out-of-pocket costs. The signup period for health insurance began October 1, over the Internet, via toll-free telephone and through a network of independent insurance agents (who are paid by commission from the insurance companies—not by you, the buyer). Coverage begins as soon as January 1, 2014, if you have signed up by this December 15, and most people must have coverage by the end of March 2014.
So those are the basics. Now, where to go for details? A cautionary note: please rely only on sites not linked to a political party. Sites linked to any political party are controlled and staffed by individuals who are committed mainly to the success or failure of the healthcare program, and information on those sites is inescapably biased. That said, there are a number of good places—especially on the Internet—to go for help. Chief among them would be the Health Reform section of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation website (http://kff.org/health-reform/fact-sheet/ summary-of-new-health-reform-law/) and its outstanding downloadable Summary of the Affordable Care Act. The Kaiser Foundation is a universally respected, independent organization that has become a trusted source of information in a healthcare world dominated by vested interests. The downloadable Summary of the ACA, although a bit lengthy at www.ourhealthrichmond.com | 25
our health | THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT
almost 13 densely packed pages, is very clearly written, organized in easily digestible sections and is eminently trustworthy. The ACA is a federal law, and federal laws are long. The law itself numbers some 900 pages (not 33,000 as some have claimed). So to boil all that language down into 13 understandable pages is something of a feat. Want to read the law for yourself? Go to the website for the Federal Register (https:// www.federalregister.gov) and do a search for “Affordable Care Act.” You’ll see 897 items on the law and associated documents. (Unfortunately for people who do not have access to the Internet, the most upto-date information is available online. There is some good printed information available—look for information produced by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services—but printed information cannot be updated as quickly as online information.) The venerated consumer information organization Consumer Reports is also a major leader in making information available on the ACA. Its masterful work on the ACA is available for everyone (http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/health/insurance/ health-care-countdown/index.htm) and is a constant work in progress, including what will eventually be a list of more than 100 articles covering every aspect of the new healthcare law.
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THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT | our health
Consumer Reports (www.consumerreports.com) provides not only information on the law, but also a nifty guide to registering for health insurance on www.healthcare. gov, the balky Health and Human Services website that is the focus of so much attention while bugs are being worked out. To develop the tips, ConsumerReports. org is working with a professional software tester to “look beneath the hood and come up with some suggestions for creating a www.healthcare.gov user account that actually works.” And, especially if it is repaired by the time you read this, the “official” Obamacare website, along with the Virginia companion site (www.enroll-virginia.com), is the absolute best way to register for health insurance on the Internet. Via phone, reach the registration site at 800.318.2596. The federal government site (www.healthcare.gov) is the front door to enroll in healthcare coverage, and it is also the best way to avoid scam artists, who are becoming more active as the deadline draws near. The Virginia attorney general’s office has warned that official-looking emails and lookalike websites are appearing, collecting personal information that scammers use for identity theft.
Additional useful websites that we found in our search:
As we approach the deadlines for participation in the Affordable Care Act, we at OurHealth think we can best serve our readers by preparing frequent and
ObamaCare Facts (www.obamacarefacts.com): An awkwardly designed but information-packed site with lots of unbiased information on the new healthcare program. You can join a mailing list for updates.
useful articles on what the
AARP (www.aarp.org): The official site of the American Association of Retired Persons. Look for the links under “Health” to take you to extensive sections on the ACA, some of them specific to the states.
affect you. Please watch
act entails and how it may
our print editions and our
The National Physicians Alliance (http://npalliance.org/equitable-affordable-healthcare-for-all/secure-health-care-for-all/ppaca/): Contains clear information and suggestions for additional websites on the ACA.
websites for these articles,
U.S. News & World Report Countdown to Obamacare (http://money.usnews.com/ money/blogs/the-best-life/2013/09/20/countdown-to-obamacare-a-consumerstoolbox): Created to help people find coverage and meet the requirement for mandatory health insurance.
If there is something
Los Angeles Times (http://articles.latimes.com/keyword/obamacare): An appendix of LA Times coverage of the broad world of the new health law.
of which this is the first.
that you feel hasn’t been sufficiently covered, please let us know.
In addition, we’ll very likely start to see announcements of seminars, workshops and lectures on the provisions and how-to’s of the new law. For more information on these, watch your local newspapers.
www.ourhealthrichmond.com | 27
BEST BEDSIDE MANNER AWARDS | our health
Medical expertise and compassionate care should always go hand-in-hand when it comes to treating patients. Going to the doctor or medical provider can be an unnerving experience for many people. Professionals who incorporate The Golden Rule into their practice philosophy are ones that stand out in people’s minds for the better.
The 2013 Best Bedside Manner Awards, presented by OurHealth magazine, honors medical providers who were voted by the local community for their kindness, empathy and attentiveness - attributes that go a long way in gaining a patient’s confidence.
The Voting Process During May and June 2013, commercials announcing the 2013 Best Bedside Manner Awards and how to submit votes for medical providers across nearly 60 specialties, aired on OurHealth’s television media partner’s station, CBS 6, WTVR-TV. Print ads were also included in OurHealth’s May 2013 magazine. Votes were submitted by the public through an online submission form available at www.wtvr.com and www.ourhealthrichmond.com from June 1st - July 15th 2013, during which time nearly 10,000 votes were cast. Please join us in congratulating this year’s inaugural Best Bedside Manner Award winners. If you have any questions, please contact Stephen McClintic, Jr., publisher of OurHealth, via email at steve@ourhealthvirginia.com or at 540.355.3071.
www.ourhealthrichmond.com | 29
our health | BEST BEDSIDE MANNER AWARDS
Allergy & Immunology
Anesthesiology
Allergy and Immunology encompasses a broad array of diagnoses, ranging from nasal and sinus problems and severe food or bee sting allergy to recurrent infections due to sinus disease, immune deficiency and asthma conditions.
Anesthesiology is the practice of medicine dedicated to the relief of pain and total care of the surgical patient before, during and after surgery.
{ first place }
Ann O. Wilhite, MD
Michael Z. Blumberg, MD, MSHA
Allergy Partners of Richmond | Greater Richmond Area | 804.559.0370 www.allergypartners.com/richmond
{ first place } Commonwealth Anesthesia Associates Midlothian | 804.594.2622 www.caa-med.com
Audiologist The branch of science that studies hearing, balance, and related disorders. Its practitioners treat those with hearing loss and proactively prevent related damage.
{ first place } Mandy Sanders, AuD
Virginia Ear, Nose, and Throat Hanover | 804.484.3700 www.virginia-ent.com
“It can be argued that the most important attribute of a good physician is the ability to allow a patient to communicate their symptoms, concerns and fears. This process is enabled by bedside manner of the skill to acquire the information needed to care for our patients.”
“Healthcare is now driven by policies and economics. My interaction with the patient is more important now than it has ever been. I try to give each patient my full attention when I assess them. Knowing that their anesthesiologist has listened to their concerns goes a long way to alleviate a patient’s anxiety, especially before surgery or a procedure.”
No two patients’ needs are the same and everyone has different expectations. The only way I can determine what’s important to them, and how I can best help them, is to get to know each patient on a personal level. It’s very important to me that I have that connection before I can feel that I have truly helped them.
— Michael Z. Blumberg, MD, MSHA
— Ann O. Wilhite, MD
— Mandy Sanders, AuD
{ second place }
{ second place }
{ second place }
Anne-Marie Irani, MD
Rafael Cartagena, MD
Leah Ball, Aud
{ third place }
{ third place }
{ third place }
Jeffery Schul, MD
Margaret Montgomery, MD
Meredith Heiner, AuD
VCU – Pediatric Allergy and Immunology Richmond | 804.628.7337 www.vcuhealth.org
Allergy Partners of Richmond Greater Richmond Area | 804.559.0370 www.allergypartners.com/richmond
Total Anesthesia Richmond | 804.288.4453 www.totalanesthesia.com
Virginia Urology Richmond | 804.330.9105 www.uro.com
{ honorable mention }
{ honorable mention }
Francis Stanford Massie, Sr. MD Richmond Allergy and Asthma Specialists Henrico | 804.285.7420 www.richmondallergy.com Barry K. Feinstein Advanced Allergy and Asthma of Virginia Richmond | 804.739.9005 www.advancedallergyva.com
Clavio M. Ascari Total Anesthesia Richmond | 804.288.4453 www.totalanesthesia.com Deborah Barron, MD Anesthesia Associates of Richmond Richmond | 804.289.4937 John Booth, MD Total Anesthesia Richmond | 804.288.4453 www.totalanesthesia.com
Richmond Hearing Doctors Richmond | 804.282.0022 www.richmondhearingdoctors.com
VCU Medical Center Richmond | 804.828.0431 www.audiology.vcu.edu
“...the most important attribute of a good physician is the ability to allow a patient to communicate their symptoms, concerns and fears...”
30 | www.ourhealthrichmond.com
BEST BEDSIDE MANNER AWARDS | our health
Cardiology
Bariatric Medicine Bariatrics is the branch of medicine that deals with the causes, prevention, and treatment of obesity.
{ first place } Gregory Schroder, MD
HCA - Advanced Surgical Partners of Virginia Richmond | 804.360.0600 | www.hcavirginia.com
Good bedside manner means connecting with the patient in more than just a treatment manner. It means connecting on an individual basis with each patient and engaging that patient in a caring compassionate way that provides the patient with the confidence and comfort that they are getting the care they need from someone who truly cares about them and wants to help them….engaging the patient in a way that establishes trust and confidence…..by providing information , empathy, laughter and healing touch and confidence.
Cardiology is the branch of medicine focusing on the structures, functions and disorders of the heart.
{ first place }
{ third place • tie }
Steven W. Cross, MD, FACC
Virginia Cardiovascular Specialists Richmond | 804.288.4827 www.vacardio.com
“Great bedside manner is all about building relationships and talking to people. I enjoy what I do based on the people I get to work with and the patients I interact with each day.” — Steven W. Cross, MD, FACC
{ second place } Clifford V. Morris, MD
Morris Cardiovascular and Risk Reduction Center Hopewell | 804.530.1044 www.morriscardio.com
Edward D. Martirosian, MD Henrico Cardiology Associates 804.345.2070
Mark Johns, MD, FACC
Cardiology of Virginia Midlothian | 804.560.8782 www.cardiovirginia.com
{ honorable mention } Mary Peberdy, MD VCU Pauley Heart Center Richmond | 804.828.4571 www.pauleyheart.vcu.edu Martin Caplan, MD, FACC Virginia Cardiovascular Specialists Richmond | 804.282.2685 www.vacardio.com Minh N. Bui, MD HCA – Henrico Cardiology Associates Richmond | 804.346.2290 www.hcavirginia.com Mary Falterman, MD Pediatric Cardiology of Virginia Richmond | 804.285.1611 www.pediatriccardiologyva.com
— Gregory Schroder, MD
{ second place } Brennan J. Carmody, MD, FACS
Bon Secours - St. Mary’s Hospital Richmond | 804.893.8676 www.bonsecours.com
{ third place } Ronald H. Johnson, MD
Ronald H. Johnson, MD Obesity and Medical Weight Loss Glen Allen | 804.935.8905 www.virginiamedweightloss.com
“Good bedside manner... means connecting with the patient in more than just a treatment manner.” www.ourhealthrichmond.com | 31
our health | BEST BEDSIDE MANNER AWARDS
Chiropractic Chiropractory is a health profession concerned with the diagnosis, treatment (without drugs or medication) and prevention of disorders of the neuromusculoskeletal system and the effects of these disorders on general health.
{ first place } Bryan, P. Lowry, DC
Advanced Wellness Centre Richmond | 804.673.9335 www.advancedwellnessrichmond.com
“When patients seek my help for concerns about their health, the fear of the unknown can cause a sense of vulnerability. It is critical for me to be present, to actively listen and to communicate from the heart.” — Bryan, P. Lowry, DC
{ second place } Mason Sheehan, II, DC
Health Source Chiropractic and Progressive Rehab Glen Allen | 888.977.674 www.healthsourceofrichmondnorth.com
{ third place } Michael J. Albanese, Jr, DC
Albanese Chiropractic Glen Allen | 804.290.4414 www.albanesechiropractic.com
“...to actively listen and to communicate from the heart.”
Concierge Medicine
Dentistry: Cosmetic
Concierge medicine (also known as direct care) is a relationship between a patient and a primary care physician in which the patient pays an annual fee or retainer. In exchange for the retainer, doctors provide enhanced care.
Cosmetic Dentistry improves the appearance and function of a person’s teeth. Dentistry is the art and science of improving the appearance (esthetics), function and health of the teeth and associated structures.
{ first place }
{ first place }
J. Rand Braggesen, MD
Karen McAndrew, DMD, MS
“Dr. Allan and I are both honored to receive this award. This recognition, we believe, is a direct statement of how our practice provides the opportunity for both the doctor and the patient to come together, allowing us to be proactive and to truly affect meaningful change in our patients lives.”
“Taking the time to listen and focus on questions and concerns allows for a better understanding of our patient’s desires or fears. Respectfully addressing questions, fears and concerns results in better treatment outcomes and happy patients. Compassion is the culture in our practice.”
— J. Rand Braggesen, MD
— Karen McAndrew, DMD, MS
{ second place }
{ second place }
Christine D. Allan, MD
Al Stenger, DDS
n1 Executive Health Group Richmond | 804.560.3295 | www.executive.md
n1 Executive Health Group | Richmond 804.560.3295 | www.executive.md
{ third place } Joy P. Rowe, MD
PartnerMD | Richmond 804.282.2655 | www.partnermd.com
{ honorable mention } Leon Spiers, MD PartnerMD | Richmond 804.282.2655 | www.partnermd.com James Cook, MD Concierge Choice Medicine | Richmond 877.888.5565 | www.choice.md Anand Lothe, MD Virginia Physicians, Inc. | Glen Allen 804.346.1780 | vaphysicians.com
Virginia Center for Prosthodontics Richmond | 804.741.8689 www.vapros.net
Drs. Stenger, Cole & Gupta Richmond | 804.320.7147 www.richmonddentist.net
{ third place } Ericka Mason, DDS
Ericka Mason, DDS General and Sleep Dentistry Midlothian | 804.745.0666 www.ericamason.com
“...to be proactive and to truly affect meaningful change in our patients lives...” 32 | www.ourhealthrichmond.com
The for
Richmond Resource
LOCAL health and wellness
information!
Find our print publication at more than 900 locations throughout Richmond!
Also, visit us online at: www.ourhealthrichmond.com
The Resource for Living Healthy in Virginia
www.ourhealthrichmond.com | 33
our health | BEST BEDSIDE MANNER AWARDS
Dentistry: General
Dentistry: Pediatric
Dermatology
Dentistry is the evaluation, diagnosis, prevention and/or treatment (nonsurgical, surgical or related procedures) of diseases, disorders and/or conditions of the oral cavity.
Pediatric dentistry specializes in treating children from birth through adolescence.
Dermatology is a specialty focusing on the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the skin.
{ first place }
{ first place }
{ first place }
Chris Maestrello, DDS
Victoria Gross, MD
Children are very perceptive, and a healthcare facility can often be intimidating. Making them at ease is important. I always acknowledge the child before the parent. I like to comment on their pretty smile or the cool action hero T-shirt.
Dr. Francis Peabody said, “…For the secret of the care of the patient is in caring for the patient.” My bedside manner reflects my deep desire to be a healer and to relieve suffering in any way that I can.
Elizabeth Reynolds, DDS
Drs. Brown, Reynolds & Snow Richmond Family and Cosmetic Dentistry | Richmond | 804.288.5324 richmondcosmeticdentistry.com
“I feel that being recognized in this particular category is truly an honor. What I hope my patients are saying, is that I am listening. Anything I can do as a practitioner to alleviate my patients’ anxiety provides a tremendous service. It is imperative that the patient feel as comfortable as possible with me and the procedure. I truly enjoy my patients; they are why I do what I do, and my team and I always try to ensure that our patients know that.” — Elizabeth Reynolds, DDS
{ second place } S. Nikki Sparks, DDS
Dr. Baxter Perkinson & Associates Family Dentistry Powhatan | 804.739.1600 www.wbperkinsonandbooth.com
{ third place } Robert Penterson, DDS
Penterson and Booth Family and Cosmetic Dentistry Midlothian | 804.739.1600 wbperkinsonandbooth.com
{ honorable mention } S. Aaron Marks, DDS Marks Family Dentistry Mechanicsville | 804.746.3336 www.marksfamilydentistry.com Alexis R. Oristian, DDS Dr. Baxter Perkinson & Associates Family Dentistry Midlothian | 804.739.1600 www.wbperkinsonandbooth.com Alex Hawkins, DDS Hawkins Family Dentistry Midlothian | 804.897.9800 hawkinsdentist.com
34 | www.ourhealthrichmond.com
Atkins, Maestrello, Miller, and Associates Richmond | 804.741.2226 www.pediatricdentistryrichmond.com
— Chris Maestrello, DDS
{ second place } Amanda Kuhn, DDS
Children’s Dentistry of Virginia, PC Midlothian | 804.639.6445 www.childrensdentistryofva.com
{ third place } Meera A. Gokli, DDS
Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics of Virginia Midlothian & Colonial Heights | 804.739.0963 www.pdova.com
{ honorable mention } John Unkel, DDS, MD, MPA Bon Secours Pediatric Dental Associates Richmond | 804.893.8715 bsrkidsdentistry.com Holly C. Lewis, DDS Hanover Pediatric Dentistry Mechanicsville | 804.746.7382 www.hanoverpediatricdentistry.com
Richmond Dermatology & Laser Specialists Richmond | 804.282.8510 www.richmonddermlaser.com
— Victoria Gross, MD
{ second place } Lydia Jones Johnson, MD
Dermatology Associates of Virginia PC Richmond | 804.285.2006 www.dermva.com
{ third place } Christine S. Rausch, MD
Skin Surgery Center of Virginia Henrico | 804.282.4940 www.mohsvirginia.com
{ honorable mention } Julia K. Padgett, MD Bon Secours Surgical Dermatology Center Glen Allen | 804.977.8938 www.bonsecours.com Kristin Z. Haushalter, MD Dermatology Associates of Virginia, PC Richmond | 804.285.2006 www.dermva.com Karen Love, MD Zen Lo Dermatology Glen Allen | 804.934.0060
“...I truly feel it is imperative that the patient feel as comfortable as possible with me and the procedure...”
our health | BEST BEDSIDE MANNER AWARDS
Dietetics Dietetics is the science or art of applying the principles of nutrition to the diet.
{ first place } Mary-Jo Sawyer, RD
VCU Medical Center – MCV Campus Richmond | 804.762.6161 www.vcuhealth.org
Emergency Medicine Emergency medicine is the specialty of providing care for patients requiring prompt medical attention and urgent medical evaluation and treatment.
{ first place } Michael William Singleton, MD Virginia Emergency Physicians Richmond | 804.330.2000
“Listening to patient concerns in an empathetic and nonjudgmental manner is key to understanding their individual nutrition needs. It allows the patient to enter into a partnership for nutrition care. Together we can overcome barriers and set nutrition goals for a variety of health issues whether they want to lose weight, control their blood sugar or meet the challenges of cancer treatment.”
Bedside manner is something that is vital to a good doctor/patient relationship. It’s about taking/making the extra time to listen and show compassion. It’s about putting your patient’s (and their family’s) needs above anything else. I try to treat my patients as I would want my family members to be treated.
— Mary-Jo Sawyer, RD
{ second place }
{ second place } Elisabeth Peterson, RD
Elisabeth Peterson Nutrition & Fitness Henrico | 804.440.3110 www.petersonnutrition.com
{ third place } Alison McGrail, RD, CDE
Commonhealth Nutrition Richmond | 804.482.0448 www.commonwealthnutrition.com
“..Listening to patient concerns in an empathetic
— Michael William Singleton, MD Joseph P. Ornato, MD, FACP, FACC, FACEP VCU Medical Center Richmond | 804.828.5250 www.vcuhealth.org
Endocrinology Endocrinology is the study of the glands and hormones of the body and their related disorders.
{ first place } Robert P. Castellucci, MD HCA Virginia Richmond | 804.282.9899 www.hcavirginia.com
{ second place } Jeffrey Sicat, MD, FACE
Virginia Weight & Wellness Glen Allen | 804.726.1500 www.jeffreysicat.com
{ third place } Rekha Nugaram, MD, FACE
Bon Secours Care Diabetes and Endocrinology Colonial Heights | 804.526.5566 www.bonsecours.com
{ honorable mention } Kelsey E.S. Salley, MD Virginia Endocrinology Midlothian | 804.423.3636 www.virginiaendo.com Shea W. Bethea, MD Virginia Diabetes & Endocrinology, PC Richmond | 804.272.2702 www.vadiabetes.com
{ third place } Charles Shields, MD
HCA Virginia Richmond | 804.289.4605 www. hcavirginia.com
{ honorable mention } Jeffery P. Reihl, MD Emergency Consultants Inc. Henrico | 804.747.5770 Christopher Jones, MD Bon Secours Richmond Health System Richmond | 804.287.7066 www.bonsecours.com
“... by welcoming our patients in safe and reassuring atmosphere where they can express their feelings and be treated with respect...”
and non judgmental manner is key to understanding their individual nutrition needs...”
36 | www.ourhealthrichmond.com
“...My bedside manner reflects my deep desire to be a healer and to relieve suffering in any way that I can...”
BEST BEDSIDE MANNER AWARDS | our health
Family Practice Family practice is the specialty of medicine that includes diagnosis and treatment of disease, injury, and illness, for patients of any age.
{ first place }
{ third place • tie } John G. Barnes, MD
Patrick Mitchell, MD
Chesterfield Family Practice Richmond | 804.276.9305 www.chesterfieldfamily.com
Kindness and empathy go a long way in gaining a patient’s trust. Effective treatment is made easier when this trust is established.” — Patrick Mitchell, MD
{ second place } D. Wesley David, MD
Commonwealth Primary Care, Inc. Richmond | 804.288.3001 www.cpcva.com
Virginia Physicians, Inc. Midlothian | 804.419.9760 www.vaphysicians.com
Garrison Bennett, MD
Virginia Physicians, Inc. Midlothian | 804.419.9760 www.vaphysicians.com
{ honorable mention } David Duncan, MD, FAAFP Powhatan Family Physicians Powhatan | 804.403.0332 www.powhatanfamily.com Karen Hearst, MD Petersburg Health Care Alliance (PHCA) Petersburg | 804.957.9601 www.cvhsinc.com/phca Stephen Crossland, MD HCA Virginia Richmond | 804.254.5335 www.hcavirginia.com
“Kindness and empathy go a long way in gaining a patient’s trust. “
Fertility Specialist Reproductive endocrinology and infertility (REI) is a surgical subspecialty of obstetrics/gynecology that trains physicians in reproductive medicine addressing hormonal functioning as it pertains to reproduction as well as the issue of infertility.
{ first place } Kenneth Steingold, MD
The Fertility Institute of Virginia Ltd. Richmond | 804.379.9000 www.fertilityinstituteofva.com
Infertility patients feel particularly vulnerable when they begin treatments. Our office understands and responds to this by welcoming our patients in safe and reassuring atmosphere where they can express their feelings and be treated with respect.
{ second place } Geof Tidey, MD
Richmond Center for Fertility and Endocrinology Richmond | 804.285.9700 www.richmondfertilitycenter.com
{ third place } Joseph Gianfortoni, MD
Lifesource Fertility Center Henrico | 804.673.2273 www.lifesourcefertility.com
— Kenneth Steingold, MD www.ourhealthrichmond.com | 37
our health | BEST BEDSIDE MANNER AWARDS
Gastroenterology Gastroenterology is the specialty dealing with the treatment of disorders of the digestive gastroenterology or GI system.
{ first place } William Brand, MD
Gastrointestinal Specialists, Inc | Richmond 804.285.8206 | www.gastrova.com
Good bedside manner comes from an attempt to establish a “human” connection between the physician and the patient. It is important to be reassuring and comforting, as well as honest, with someone who may be feeling quite vulnerable and frightened. The key is to make the situation less intimidating. — William Brand, MD
{ second place } Howard O. Haverty, MD
Richmond Gastroenterology Associates Richmond | 804.560.9852 www.richmondgastro.com
{ third place } Andrew J. Vorenberg, MD, FACS Colon and Rectal Specialists Richmond | 804.559.3400 www.crspecialists.com
{ honorable mention } Scott Woogen, MD Richmond Gastroenterology Associates, Inc. Richmond | 804.560.9852 www.richmondgastro.com Richard Mitchelle, MD Independent Assoscates Richmond | 804.282.3114 Juan Villalona, MD FAAP Pediatric Gastroenterology of Richmond, PC Richmond | 804.888.PEDS (7337) www.pedsgirichmond.com
“...be reassuring and comforting, as well as honest...” 38 | www.ourhealthrichmond.com
BEST BEDSIDE MANNER AWARDS | our health
Infectious Disease A specialty focusing on the diagnosis, cause and treatment of contagious disease.
Internal Medicine The branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis and nonsurgical treatment of diseases affecting adults.
{ first place }
{ first place }
Michael Edmond, MD, MPH, MPA VCU Medical Center Richmond | 804.828.2161 www.vcuhealth.org
“I truly believe that patients don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. And the two most important ways to establish a caring relationship with a patient are actively listening to the patient when you are with them, and making yourself readily and easily available to them when you are not.” — Michael Edmond, MD, MPH, MPA
{ second place } James W. Brooks, MD
HCA Virginia Infectious Disease Specialists Richmond | 804.285.1833 www.hcavirginia.com
{ third place } Andrea Gonzalez, MD
Richmond Infectious Disease Associates Midlothian | 804.276.7125 www.bonsecours.com
{ honorable mention } Jane Cecil, MD MCV Physicians at Mayland Henrico | 804.527.4540 www.mcvphysicians.vcu.edu
Richard S. Tate, MD
Commonwealth Primary Care, Inc. Richmond | 804.288.3001 www.cpcva.com
{ second place } Philip H. Rizk, MD
Commonwealth Hospitalist Services, PC (HCA – Virginia) Glen Allen | 804.521.5315 www.hcavirginia.com
{ third place } Katherine Smallwood, MD, FACP Virginia Physicians, Inc. Richmond | 804.346.1515 www.vaphysicians.com
{ honorable mention } Raziuddin Ali, MD HCA Virginia Glen Allen | 804.521.5315 www.hcavirginia.com Robert Turner James River Primary Care (HCA Virginia) Richmond | 804.288.8338 www.hcavirginia.com Sabina Ali, MD Bon Secours Monument Internal Medicine Richmond | 804.673.2814 www.bonsecours.com
Neonatology Neonatology is a subspecialty of pediatrics that consists of the medical care of newborn infants, especially the ill or premature newborn infant. It is a hospital-based specialty, and is usually practiced in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs).
{ first place } Vijay Dhande, MD
Sheridan Health Corp. Richmond | 804.288.8338
“When a baby is in the NICU, parents are very worried and concerned about their baby. I like to take the extra time to talk to parents in detail and explain to them as to what is going on and what to expect. That extra time makes a big difference and helps to reduce their anxiety. I treat my patients the same way I would hope to be treated. This is why having a good bedside manner is so important to me.” — Vijay Dhande, MD
{ second place } Karen Wharton, MD
Commonwealth Neonatology Richmond | 804.282.8082 www.commonwealthneonatology.com
{ third place } Susan Brown, MD
Sheridan Children’s Healthcare (HCA Virginia) Richmond | 804.289.4674 www.hcavirginia.com
{ honorable mention }
“...I truly believe that patients don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care....”
James Christmas, MD HCA – Commonwealth Perinatal Services Richmond | 804.289.4674 www.hcavirginia.com
“I treat my patients the same way I would hope to be treated...” www.ourhealthrichmond.com | 39
our health | BEST BEDSIDE MANNER AWARDS
Nephrology Nephrology is the study of the function and diseases of the kidney and related organs.
{ first place } Karl Koenig, MD
Richmond Nephrology Associates Greater Richmond 804.272.5814 www.richmondnephrologyassociates.com
{ second place } Martin Starkman, MD
HCA Virginia Richmond | 804.282.8005 www.hcavirginia.com
{ third place } Domenic Sica, MD
VCU Medical Center Richmond | 804.828.9683 www.vcuhealth.org
{ honorable mention } Christopher Acker, MD Richmond Nephrology Associates Greater Richmond Metropolitan Area | 804.272.5814 www.richmondnephrologyassociates.com Shreyank Tripathi, MD Richmond Nephrology Associates Greater Richmond Metropolitan Area | 804.272.5814 www.richmondnephrologyassociates.com
Neurology Neurology is the specialty of medicine which focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the nervous system.
{ first place } John J. Brush, MD
A nurse practitioner (NP) is a registered nurse with advanced academic and clinical experience, which enables him or her to diagnose and manage most common and many chronic illnesses, either independently or as part of a healthcare team.
Neurological Associates, Inc. Henrico | 804.288.2742 www.nairichmond.com
Sadly, Dr. John “Jack” Brush, passed October 23, 2013, after 32 years of practice with Neurological Associates. It was important to Jack to make others feel that they were special and valued, and all who knew him felt his loving attention. His compassion, graciousness and brilliant mind served thousands of people over the years. Dr. Brush will be greatly missed and lovingly remembered by friends, family, and colleagues.
{ second place } Stacy L. Epps, MD
Bon Secours Neurology Clinic Chester | 804.284.6880 Midlothian | 804.325.8750 www.bonsecours.com
{ third place } Catherine Ham, MD
“...My bedside manner reflects my deep desire to be a healer and to relieve suffering in any way that I can...”
Nurse Practitioner
VCU Medical Center Henrico | 804.527.4540 www.vcuhealth.org
{ honorable mention } Stephen E. Thurston, MD Neurological Associates Inc. Henrico | 804.288.2742 www.nairichmond.com
{ first place } Amanda Griffin, NP
Virginia Urology for Women Richmond | 804.330.9105 www.virginiaurologyforwomen.com
{ second place } Wanda Rivadeneira, NP
The Pediatric Center Glen Allen | 804.266.9616 www.richmondpediatriccenter.com
{ third place } Jeannie Shelton, FNP
HCA Virginia Transplant Center Richmond | 804.289.4941 hcavirginia.com
{ honorable mention } Jeré Kitchen, FNP Commonwealth Primary Care – Huguenot Midlothian | 804.378.7373 www.cpcva.com Elizabeth A. Bowers, NP Gastrointestinal Specialists, Inc Richmond | 804.285.8206 www.gastrova.com Anne Mauck, CPNP, CPON VCU Medical Center – Dept. of Pediatrics Richmond | 804.828.9300 www.vcuhealth.org
“...Bedside manner is the essence of being with people. It is not only important for a provider but for all people...” 40 | www.ourhealthrichmond.com
BEST BEDSIDE MANNER AWARDS | our health
Obstetrics & Gynecology The specialty of medicine that includes care for women before, during, and after pregnancy and child birth and the diagnosis and treatment of disorders affecting the female reproductive system.
{ first place } Vienne Murray, MD
West End Obstetrics and Gynecology Richmond | 804.282.9479 www.westend-obgyn.com
I have an amazing job! I not only have the privilege of caring for my patients but I am also allowed to develop life long relationships and become a part of their lives. What an honor! — Vienne Murray, MD
{ second place } Siobhan S. Dunnavant, MD, FACOG Ob-Gyn Associates, Ltd. Richmond | 804.741.0440 www.obgyn-assoc.com
{ third place • tie } Leigh Lewis, MD
Virginia Women’s Center Richmond | 804.288.4084 www.virginiawomenscenter.com
Tracy I. Hicks, MD
Bon Secours Richmond Ob-Gyn Midlothian | 804.320.2483 www.bonsecours.com
{ honorable mention } Corinne N. Tuckey-Larus, MD Virginia Physicians for Women Midlothian | 804.897.2100 www.vpfw.com John Hulshoff, DO HCA - Commonwealth Ob-Gyn Specialists Richmond | 804.285.8806 www.hcavirginia.org Jennifer Jones Hollings, MD Bon Secours – Capitol Ob/GYN Richmond | 804.371.1689 www.bonsecours.com
Occupational Medicine
Oncology
The branch of medicine dealing with the prevention and treatment of jobrelated injuries and illnesses.
The diagnosis, treatment and prevention of blood diseases (hematology) and cancer (oncology) and research into them.
{ first place }
{ first place }
James Cisek, MD
Elke K. Friedman, MD
Bon Secours - Patterson Avenue Family Practice Richmond | 804.741.6200 www.bonsecours.com
Virginia Cancer Institute Richmond | 804.287.3000 www.vacancer.com
“What bedside manner means to me is treating my patients the way I would want to be treated, with dignity, respect and care”.
“Bedside manner is the essence of being with people. It is not only important for a provider but for all people. We are all each other has so we need to be good to each other.” — James Cisek, MD
{ second place } Joseph Andriano, MD
HCA Virginia Richmond | 804.254.5467 www.hcavirginia.com
{ third place } George Wedd, III, MD
HCA – Primary Health Group Ironbridge Richmond | 804.271.8990 www.phg-ironbridge.com
— Elke K. Friedman, MD
{ second place } Shiyu Song, MD, PhD
VCU Massey Cancer Center Richmond | 804.828.7232 www.vcuhealth.org
{ third place } James May, MD
Virginia Cancer Institute Midlothian | 804.387.0394 www.vacancer.com
{ honorable mention } Mary Helen Hackney, MD VCU Medical Center Richmond | 804.327.8806 www.vcuhealth.org David Trent, MD Virginia Cancer Institute Richmond | 804.287.3000 www.vacancer.com
“...every patient teaches me something, everyone has a story...” www.ourhealthrichmond.com | 41
our health | BEST BEDSIDE MANNER AWARDS
Ophthalmology An ophthalmologist treats eye disorders, including injuries, infections, tumors, and cataracts.
“...if you truly listen you can learn something from everyone...”
{ first place }
Peter Goldmann, MD
“Every patient teaches me something, everyone has a story; if you truly listen you can learn something from everyone. I believe in treating my patients as if they were a member of my family.”
{ third place }
Virginia Eye Institute Richmond | 804.287.4200 | www.vaeye.com
— Walter E. Bundy, MD, FACS
42 | www.ourhealthrichmond.com
{ second place }
Walter E. Bundy, MD, FACS
Richmond | 804.285.1722 www.bonsecours.com
Read F. McGehee, MD
Virginia Eye Institute Richmond | 804.287.4200 www.vaeye.com
{ honorable mention } Joseph D. Iuorno, MD Commonwealth Eye Care Associates Richmond | 804.271.6363 www.commonwealtheye.com
BEST BEDSIDE MANNER AWARDS | our health
Optometry An optometrist is trained and skilled in examining and testing the eyes for defects in order to prescribe corrective lenses or treatments.
Oral Surgery A dental specialist whose practice is limited to the diagnosis, surgery and treatment of diseases, injuries, deformities, and defects of the mouth.
{ first place } Neil Agnihotri, MD
Virginia Oral & Facial Surgery | Sandston | 804.787.0992 www.oralfacialsurgery.com
{ first place } Patricia Daylor, OD
Family Vision Care of Richmond Glen Allen | 804.217.9883 www.visionsource-familyvisioncareofrichmond.com
{ second place } Patrick Ryan, OD
Ryan Vision Center Henrico | 804.364.1837 www.ryanvisioncenter.com
{ third place } Robert Rainer, OD
“As a clinician, we only get one chance to make a good first impression and make our patients feel comfortable. At Virginia Oral & Facial Surgery, we treat all our patients like family. Having surgery is almost always a stressful, scary experience no matter how old you are. Putting patients and their family at ease from the very beginning with a calm, reassuring and relaxed perspective is crucial to having a safe and smooth recovery.”
{ second place } Robert A. Strauss, DDS, MD VCU Medical Center Richmond | 804.762.6161 www.vcuhealth.org
{ third place } Robert Campbell, DDS
Virginia Dental and Anesthesia Associates Glen Allen | 804.273.6818 vdaa.info
{ honorable mention } William Dymon, DDS Virginia Oral and Facial Surgery Richmond | 804.608.3200 www.oralfacialsurgery.com
— Neil Agnihotri, MD
West End Eye Care Richmond | 804.282.7228 www.drrainer.com
{ honorable mention } Bruce Kiraly, OD Grove Avenue Eye Center Richmond | 804.358.844 www.groveaveeyecenter.com
“We treat all our patients like family.”
www.ourhealthrichmond.com | 43
our health | BEST BEDSIDE MANNER AWARDS
Orthodontics
Orthopaedics
Osteopathy
Orthodontics is the specialty of dentistry that is concerned with the study and treatment of malocclusions (improper bites), which may be a result of tooth irregularity, disproportionate jaw relationships, or both.
An orthopaedic surgeon is focused on diseases, injuries, and conditions of the musculoskeletal system relating to the body’s muscles and skeleton, as well as the joints, ligaments, tendons, and nerves.
Osteopathy or osteopathic medicine is an approach to healthcare that emphasizes the role of the musculoskeletal system in health and disease.
{ first place }
{ first place }
Steve Melhorn, DO
Allison S. Purcell, DDS
Mark Jones, MD
Drs. Baxter Perkinson & Associates Midlothian | 804.794.9789 www.wbperkinson.com
At Dr. Baxter Perkinson & Associates, we strive to focus on personalized dental and orthodontic care and approach every patient with the thought of “how would I treat this patient if this were my child, husband, or mother.” — Allison S. Purcell, DDS
{ second place } Graham Gardner, DDS
Gardner and Jones Orthodontics Richmond | 804.282.6436 www.gardnergrins.com
{ third place } Paul White, DDS
White Orthodontics Glen Allen | 804.747.7447 www.smilerichmond.com
{ honorable mention } George Davis, III DDS Davis and Nyczepir, DDS Richmond | 804.748.3234 www.richmondorthdontist.com
OrthoVirginia Richmond | 804.379.8088 www.orthovirginia.com
Melhorn & Melhorn DO, Inc. Richmond | 804.288.6414 www.melhorndo.com
{ second place }
The initial contact with patients is the most valuable time to establish the doctor-patient bond. It’s important to make patients feel comfortable and to let them know you are here to listen to their health concerns. I treat patients the way I would want to be treated.
Anthony Shaia, MD
— Steve Melhorn, DO
I try to treat each patient as if they were a friend or a member of my family; with honesty, respect, and compassion. — Mark Jones, MD
Ortho Virginia Henrico Parham | 804.288.3136 www.orthovirginia.com
{ third place } Shannon M. Wolfe, MD
Tuckahoe Orthopaedics Richmond | 804.285.2300 www.tuckahoeortho.com
{ honorable mention } Neema M. Amin, MD Colonial Orthopaedics River’s Bend and Colonial Heights | 804.518.1300 colonialorthopaedics.com Steven Jones, MD Ortho Virginia Chippenham | 804.320.1339 www.orthovirginia.com Sharad N. Saraiya, MD HCA Virginia Colonial Heights | 804.765.5000 www.hcavirginia.com
“The initial contact with patients is the most valuable time to establish the doctor-patient bond...”
44 | www.ourhealthrichmond.com
{ first place }
{ second place } Peter Gent, DO
Osteopathic Medicine Midlothian | 804.897.3746 www.drgent.com
“...approach every patient with the thought of “how would I treat this patient if this were my child, husband, or mother...”
BEST BEDSIDE MANNER AWARDS | our health
Otolaryngology (ENT) Otolaryngology is a surgical specialty focusing on the diagnosis, management, and treatment of diseases and disorders of the ear, nose, throat (ENT) and related structures of the head and neck.
{ first place } David Salley, MD
Virginia Ear Nose and Throat | Midlothian | 804.484.3700 www.virginiaent.com
For me, a good bedside manner means approaching patients in a friendly non-judgmental way and being very honest about their medical problems. I also try to remember that my job is a privilege and that interacting with patients is fun. I think this makes my patients feel comfortable and willing to open up. That makes for good communication and without that, it is very hard to provide good care.
{ second place }
{ honorable mention }
John Ditto, Jr., MD
Jim S. Lim, MD Virginia Ear Nose and Throat Midlothian | 804.484.3700 www.virginiaent.com Alvin Goldstone, MD Ear, Nose, and Throat Specialists of Central Virginia Richmond | 804.288.8308 www.hcavirginia.com Matthew Bridges, MD Commonwealth Ear, Nose and Throat Specialists Richmond | 804.525.4231 www.commonwealthentpc.com
HCA - Institute of Advanced ENT Surgery Richmond | 804.433.1400 www.hcavirginia.com
{ third place } Laurence DiNardo, MD
VCU Department of Otolaryngology Richmond | 804.323.0830 www.vcuhealth.org
“...a good bedside manner means approaching patients in a friendly nonjudgmental way...”
— David Salley, MD
“...good communication —without that, it is very hard to provide good care...” www.ourhealthrichmond.com | 45
our health | BEST BEDSIDE MANNER AWARDS
Pain Management
Palliative Care
Pediatrics
Pain management encompasses pharmacological, non-pharmacological, and other approaches to prevent, reduce, or stop pain sensations.
Palliative Care is the area of healthcare that focuses on relieving and preventing the suffering of patients. Unlike hospice care, palliative medicine is appropriate for patients in all disease stages, including those undergoing treatment for curable illnesses and those living with chronic diseases, as well as patients who are nearing the end of life.
A pediatrician focuses on the detection, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases in children, ages infant to 18-years of age.
{ first place } P. Duke Crane, MD
Neurosurgical Associates, PC Richmond | 804.288.8204 www.neurosurgicalva.com
{ second place } Andrew Hou, MD
Advanced Orthopaedics Richmond | 800.966.1718 www.advancedortho.me
{ third place } Yaoming Gu, MD
National Spine and Pain Center Richmond | 804.270.7262 www.treatingpain.com
attention and listening...”
Henrico Pediatrics Richmond | 804.288.3069 www.henricopediatrics.com
Tahira Naviwala, MD
HCA Virginia Richmond | 804.267.6814 www.hcavirginia.com
Good bedside mannerism is important to me because it is the first step in providing humanistic care and essential to comfort, connect and communicate with the patient to promote healing. — Tahira Naviwala, MD
{ second place } Bon Secours Palliative Medicine Richmond | 804.288.COPE (2673) www.bonsecours.com
patients my undivided
Adam M Falik, MD
{ first place }
Leanne Yanni, MD
“...I focus on giving
{ first place }
{ third place } Devon Fletcher, MD
VCU Medical Center Richmond | 804.762.6161 www.vcuhealth.org
{ second place } Elizabeth M. Cullen, MD
Huguenot Pediatric Midlothian | 804.794.2299 www.huguenotpediatrics.com
{ third place } Annemarie Gililland Tull, MD
The Pediatric Center Glen Allen | 804.266.9616 www.richmondpediatricscenter.com
{ honorable mention } Paul M. Strehler, MD Chippenham Pediatrics Richmond | 804.320.1353 www.chippenhampediatrics.com J. Mark Shreve, MD Pediatric Associates of Richmond Richmond | 804.282.4205 www.pedassocrichmond.com Melani B. de Silva, MD, FAAP Drs. Overton, Wiley, Kirchmier, Terry & Rowe, PC Richmond | 804.754.3776 www.vapeds.com
“...be genuine, compassionate, empathetic, and above all present...” 46 | www.ourhealthrichmond.com
BEST BEDSIDE MANNER AWARDS | our health
Periodontics Periodontology or Periodontics is the specialty of dentistry that studies supporting structures of teeth, diseases, and conditions that affect them.
{ first place } Chris Richardson, DMD
Richmond, Virginia Periodontist and Dental Implant Specialists Richmond & Midlothian | 804.55.6593 www.richmondperioonline.com
{ second place } Thomas Waldrop, DDS, MS
“...actively listen to patients with dignity and respect...�
VCU Private Dentistry Richmond | 804.828.4867 www.dentistry.vcu.edu
{ third place } William R. Adams, III, DDS
Grove Avenue Family and Cosmetic Dentistry Richmond | 804.285.1378 www.grovesmiles.com
www.ourhealthrichmond.com | 47
our health | BEST BEDSIDE MANNER AWARDS
Pharmacy
Physical Medicine
Pharmacists are health professionals who are experts in the use of medicines.
{ first place } Emily Chambers, RPh
Henrico’s Doctors’ Hospital Pharmacy Henrico | 804.289.4500 www.hcavirginia.com
The meaning of bedside manner is taking the time to actively listen to patients with dignity and respect. By listening and understanding their needs we can better serve our patients.
{ second place } Baylor Rice, RPh
Physical medicine and rehabilitation, also referred to as physiatry, is a medical specialty concerned with diagnosis, evaluation, and management of persons of all ages with physical and/or cognitive impairment and disability.
{ first place }
South River Compounding Pharmacy Henrico | 804.237.5970 www.southriverrx.com
Manmohan S. Khokhar, MD
HCA - Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation of Richmond Richmond | 804.378.2233 www.hcavirginia.com
{ third place } Amanda Matassa, RPh
Bon Secours Bedside Rx Richmond | 804.281.8425 www.bonsecours.com
{ third place • tie } Katherine L. Dec, MD
HCA - CJW Sports Medicine Midlothian | 804.545.7560 www.hcavirginia.com
Eugenio A. Monasterio, MD
Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU Richmond | 804.228.5818 www.chirichmond.org
{ second place } Nathan Zasler, MD
Concussion Care Centre of Virginia, LTD Richmond | 804.270.5484 www.concussioncarecentre.com
— Emily Chambers, RPh
Physical Therapist Physical therapy (or physiotherapy), often abbreviated PT, is the art and science of physical care and rehabilitation.
{ first place }
{ second place }
Andy Symula, PT
Katherine M. Oxford, DPT, OCS
Bedside manner involves being genuine, compassionate, empathetic, and above all present with my patients. My favorite instructors summarized it by saying “I like to get people better and have fun”
{ third place }
Advanced Wellness Centre Richmond | 804.673.9335 www.advancedwellnessrichmond.com
— Andy Symula, PT
Virginia Urology for Women Richmond | 804.330.9105 www.virginiaurologyforwomen.com
Tracy Adler, DPT, OCS, CMTPT Orthopedic Physical Therapy Richmond | 804.285.0148 www.orthopedicptinc.com
{ honorable mention } Damien Howell PT, DPT, OCS Bon Secours Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine Richmond | 804.285.6618 www.bonsecours.com Myra Pumphrey, DPT, OSC, FAAOMPT Progress Physical Therapy Glen Allen | 804.270.7754 www.progressphysicaltherapy.com Jim Miller, DPT Tidewater Physical Therapy, Inc. Richmond | 804.323.7847
www.tpti.com
48 | www.ourhealthrichmond.com
BEST BEDSIDE MANNER AWARDS | our health
Physician Assistant (PA) A person who is licensed to practice medicine under the supervision of a licensed physician, and who thereby extends the physician’s capacity to provide medical care.
{ first place }
{ second place }
Chris Mahan, PA-C
Robyn Reale, PA-C
Ortho Virginia Richmond | 804.379.8088 www.orthovirginia.com
“Bedside manner is the one thing that I have complete control of during a patient visit. I focus on giving patients my undivided attention and listening, so all of their questions, concerns, and fears are addressed during their interactions with me.” — Chris Mahan, PA-C
HCA – Richmond Surgical | Richmond 804.285.9416 | www.hcavirginia.com
{ third place } Francis (Frank) Kelleher, PA-C
Patient First, Short Pump | Richmond 804.360.8061 | patientfirst.com
{ honorable mention } John Vollmer – PA-C Ortho Virginia Richmond | 804.288.3136 www.orthovirginia.com Erin Banks, PA-C HCA – Richmond Surgical Richmond | 804.285.9416 www.hcavirginia.com
“...taking the time with each patient to treat them with basic kindness, courtesy and respect...”
Plastic Surgery: Cosmetic The field of surgery that is performed to reshape structures of the body in order to improve appearance and self-esteem.
{ first place } John W. Zinsser, MD
Zinsser Plastic Surgery PC Richmond | 804.474.9805 www.zinsserplasticsurgery.com
Good bedside manner is taking the time with each patient to treat them with basic kindness, courtesy and respect. They need to feel that their time, needs and issues are as important as mine. — John W. Zinsser, MD
{ second place } Thomas M. Dewire, Sr., MD, FACS
Advanced Art of Cosmetic Surgery Glen Allen | 804.290.0200 www.advanced-art.com
{ third place } Gordon Lewis, MD
Lewis Plastic Surgery Richmond | 804.267.6009 www.lewisplasticsurgery.com
{ honorable mention } Michael Godin, MD Michael Godin Facial Plastic and Reconstruction Surgery Richmond | 804.285.8578 www.drgodin.com
www.ourhealthrichmond.com | 51
our health | BEST BEDSIDE MANNER AWARDS
Plastic Surgery: Reconstructive
Podiatry
Psychiatry
The field of surgery concerned with reducing scarring or disfigurement that may occur as a result of accidents, birth defects, or treatment for diseases, such as melanoma.
A podiatrist is a physician that specializes in the evaluation and treatment of diseases of the foot.
The branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental and emotional disorders.
{ first place }
{ first place }
{ first place }
Simon Mest, DPM
Elliot Spanier, MD
Nadia P. Blanchet, MD
Nadia Blanchet Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Richmond | 804.320.8545 www.madiablanchetmd.com
I am very uncomfortable with self-promotion but the joy of practicing medicine is two-fold for me. I cherish my relationships with my patients as much as the obsession for refining my surgical technique. — Nadia P. Blanchet, MD
VCU Medical Center Richmond | 804.828.7069 www.vcuhealth.org
“I try to listen to my patients. I feel it’s important to hear and advise patients, and try to explain what is causing their problem.”
{ second place }
The top three reasons bedside manners matter to me: 1) I try and treat everyone in a way I would want to be treated 2) rushing someone in and out of your office gets you no where 3) listening to someone is so very important.
Scott Vantre, DPM
— Elliot Spanier, MD
— Simon Mest, DPM
Virginia Foot and Ankle Center Richmond | 804.285.3933 www.vafootankle.com
{ third place }
{ second place }
Franklin Ognelodh, DPM
Leslie V. Cohen, MD
HCA Virginia - Retreat Hospital Wound Healing Center Richmond | 804.254.5100 www.hcavirginia.com
{ third place }
Tucker Psychiatric Clinic Richmond | 804.320.7881 www.tuckerpsychiatric.com
Preventive Foot Care Richmond | 804.643.8863 www.richmond-podiatrist.com
{ second place } Marijano Piedra, MD
Neuropsychiatric and Counseling Associates Richmond | 804.282.5236 www.hcavirginia.com
{ third place } Laura M. Worrel, MD
Commonwealth Counseling Greater Richmond Area | 804.730.0432 www.commonwealthcounseling.com
Isaac L. Wornorm, III, MD, FACS Richmond Plastic Surgeons Richmond | 804.285.4115 www.richmondplasticsurgeons.com
“...rushing someone in and out of your office gets you no where...” “...When I care for patients I try to remember what it’s like to be in their position...” 52 | www.ourhealthrichmond.com
BEST BEDSIDE MANNER AWARDS | our health
Psychology & Counseling The branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental and emotional disorders.
{ first place } James Bullock, PsyD, LCP
Commonwealth Counseling Greater Richmond Area | 804.730.0432 www.commonwealthcounseling.com
At Commonwealth Counseling Associates, we believe that positive healthcare outcomes reflect both the quality of services we provide and the richness of communication and collaboration we develop with the patients we serve. We recognize that the quality of the relationship with our patients begins at the moment of the very first telephone contact and extends throughout the episode of care. Our entire staff works together with this in mind. The recognition for “best bedside manner” reflects these core principles. — James Bullock, PsyD, LCP
{ second place } Carrie Walker, LPC
Richmond Creative Counseling, LLC Richmond | 804.592.6311 www.richmondcreativecounseling.com
{ third place } Creighton Hite, PsyD
Bon Secours Greater Virginia Medical Group Richmond | 804.288.9425 www.bonsecours.com
Pulmonary
Radiation Oncology
In medicine, pulmonology (aka pneumology) is the specialty that deals with diseases of the respiratory tract and respiratory disease.
A radiation oncologist is a doctor who specializes in the treatment of cancer patients, using radiation therapy as the main modality of treatment.
{ first place }
{ first place }
Jamie C. Hey, MD
George Trivette, MD
“When I care for patients I try to remember what it’s like to be in their position. They may need to see a doctor but it’s not where they would like to be and they are often nervous and uncomfortable. To be able to learn about their medical condition I first need to put them at ease. That’s what bedside manner is all about.”
It is an honor to care for patients battling cancer. Whenever I see a patient, I always try to realize and feel their fears, concerns, and hopes. This helps me provide the best possible compassionate care for each patient.
— Jamie C. Hey, MD
Laurie Cuttino, MD
Pulmonary Associates of Richmond, Inc. Richmond | 804.320.4243 www.paraccess.com
{ second place } H. Joel Schmidt, MD
VCU medical Center - Division of Pulmonary Medicine Richmond | 804.828.2980 www.vcuhealth.org
{ third place }
Radiation Oncology Associates Richmond | 804.281.8350 www.roa-vu.com
— George Trivette, MD
{ second place } VCU Massy Cancer Center Richmond | 804.287.4340 www.vcuhealth.org
{ third place } David M. Randolph, MD David Randolph, MD Richmond | 804.266.8717 www.hcavirginia.com
Andrea Miksa, MD
Pulmonary Associates of Richmond, Inc. Richmond | 804.320.4243 www.paraccess.com
{ honorable mention } Cullen Rivers, MD Pulmonary Associates of Richmond, Inc. Richmond | 804.320.4243 www.paraccess.com Scott Radow, MD Pulmonary Associates of Richmond, Inc. Richmond | 804.320.4243 www.paraccess.com
“ When I meet the patient, I make a point of listening at length to the patient, about their disease and concerns...”
“I try to listen to my patients...” “One of the most important factors in a good doctor– patient relationship is being a good listener...” www.ourhealthrichmond.com | 53
our health | BEST BEDSIDE MANNER AWARDS
Radiology Radiology is a medical specialty that employs the use of imaging to both diagnose and treat disease visualized within the human body.
{ first place } John Kuta, MD
Radiology Associates of Richmond Richmond | 540.282.8806 www.rarichmond.com
“Bedside manner” and “Radiologist” are two words that do not seem to belong in the same sentence. However, when I see a patient in my radiology practice, I am performing an invasive test on a person referred to me who has never met me, oftentimes, did not choose me to perform the test. When I meet the patient, I make a point of listening at length to the patient, about their disease and concerns. I explain my procedures in detail at a level suited to their understanding. I pray with my patients to let them know that I trust in God and rely upon God to help guide me with their care. I try to treat my patients as I would expect to be treated, to love my neighbor as I love myself. — John Kuta, MD
Rheumatology A specialist in the non-surgical treatment of rheumatic illnesses, especially arthritis.
{ first place } Tammy R. Spring, MD
Premier Healthcare Associates Richmond | 804.288.7901
To me, the doctorpatient relationship is immensely important, and one of the most gratifying aspects of my work. A good bedside manner is so crucial to developing that relationship and establishing the ties necessary to help patients manage their chronic conditions. — Tammy R. Spring, MD
{ second place } Steven Maestrello, MD
Virginia Physicians Richmond | 804.346.1668 www.vaphysicians.com
{ third place } Peter J. Coutlakis, MD
Arthritis Specialists, Ltd. Richmond | 804.323.1401 www.arthritisspecialistsltd.com
Susan Prizzia, MD
Commonwealth Radiology Richmond | 804.288.8327 www.commonwealthradiology.com
{ first place } M. Taruj Ali, MD, FCCP
Pulmonary Associates of Richmond, Inc. Richmond | 804.320.4243 www.paraccess.com
“One of the most important factors in a good doctor-patient relationship is being a good listener—being empathetic to your patient. I always try to put myself in the patients shoes, and I treat them the same way I would like to be treated. I constantly try to learn and improve from the feedback my patients, family and friends give about their experiences.” — M. Taruj Ali, MD, FCCP
{ second place } David J Leszczyszyn, MD, PhD VCU Center for Sleep Medicine Richmond | 804.828.0442 www.vcuhealth.org
{ third place } Pulmonary and Critical Care Associates Hopewell | 804.458.7781 www.bonsecours.com
Vasu Raval, MD
{ third place }
Sleep medicine is a medical specialty or subspecialty devoted to the diagnosis and therapy of sleep disturbances and disorders.
Zahid I. Mughal, MD
{ second place } Radiology Associates of Richmond Richmond | 540.282.8806 www.rarichmond.com
Sleep Medicine
“..To me, the doctor-patient relationship is immensely important, and one of the most gratifying aspects of my work...”
{ honorable mention } Douglas W. Puryear, MD, FCCP Pulmonary Associates of Richmond, Inc. Richmond | 804.320.4243 www.paraccess.com
“...never underestimate the healing power of compassion and empathy at a critical time...” 54 | www.ourhealthrichmond.com
BEST BEDSIDE MANNER AWARDS | our health
Sports Medicine
Surgery: Cardiac
Sports medicine is an area of health and special services that apply medical and scientific knowledge to prevent, recognize, manage, and rehabilitate injuries related to sport, exercise, or recreational activity.
Cardiac surgery is surgery on the heart to correct congenital heart disease or the complications of heart disease or valve problems created by various causes.
{ first place }
Mark Katz, MD
Vivek Sharma, MD
Colonial Orthopaedics Colonial Heights | 804.526.5888 www.viveksharmamd.com
Good bedside manners are key to a healthy patient-physician relationship. My encounter with the patients begins with respect, empathy and open communication. I reassure and comfort my patients, calm their fears and provide hope while remaining honest about the diagnosis. I find it very easy to sit and listen to my patients and guide them to make decisions about their own health. — Vivek Sharma, MD
{ second place } Geoffery Higgs, MD
Advanced Orthopaedics Henrico | 804.800.1718 www.advancedortho.me
{ third place } Katherine L. Dec, MD
HCA Virginia - Sports Medicine Midlothian | 804.545.7560 www.hcavirginia.com
{ honorable mention }
{ first place } Bon Secours Cardiac Surgery Specialists Richmond | 804.287.7840 www.bonsecours.com
As a heart surgeon I’ve spent hours at the besides of patients after they’ve experienced the most invasive and critical of surgeries. It’s important to realize the depth of uncertainty they feel, and to never underestimate the healing power of compassion and empathy at a critical time. The healing experience goes far beyond the physical – our job often requires us to ensure the patient also is healing emotionally and spiritually. It’s a message that I hope resonates throughout our health system and to all of those involved in the patient experience. — Mark Katz, MD
{ second place } Chiwon Hahn, MD, FACS
HCA - Cardiothoractic Surgical Associates Richmond | 804.282.8777 www.hcavirginia.com
{ third place } Vigneshwar Kasirajan, MD
VCU Pauley Heart Center Richmond | 804.828.2275 www.pauleyheartcenter.vcu.edu
Vincent Dalton, MD Ortho Virginia Richmond | 804.379.8088 www.orthovirginia.com
“...calm their fears and provide hope while remaining honest about the diagnosis...”
Surgery: General General surgery is the treatment of injury, deformity, and disease using operative procedures.
{ first place } Eric P. Melzig, MD. FACS
HCA Virginia - Richmond Surgical Richmond | 804.285.9416 www.hcavirginia.com
Good bedside manner is of paramount importance. I try to impart a calm confidence and listen and respond to a patient’s concerns. In addressing these concerns, I answer with warmth and reassurance. The good at the end of the encounter is for the patient to have a realistic and positive outlook concerning their condition. — Eric P. Melzig, MD. FACS
{ second place • tie } Darius Hollings, MD
Bon Secours Thoracic Surgery Associates Mechanicsville | 804.764.7910 www.bonsecours.com
Amy T. Rose, MD
Surgical Associates of Richmond Richmond | 804.320.2705 www.hcavirginia.com
{ third place } Clifford Deal, III, MD, FACS
HCA Virginia - Richmond Surgical Richmond | 804.285.9416 www.hcavirginia.com
{ honorable mention } Shaun O’Donovan Colon and Rectal Specialists Richmond | 804.775.4500 www.crspecialists.com James Whelan, MD VCU Medical Center Richmond | 804.762.6161 www.vcuhealth.org Debra Hutchins, MD, FACS HCA Virginia - Richmond Surgical Richmond | 804.285.9416 www.hcavirginia.com
www.ourhealthrichmond.com | 55
our health | BEST BEDSIDE MANNER AWARDS
Surgery: Neurosurgery A surgical specialty for the treatment of diseases and disorders of the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral and sympathetic nervous system.
Vascular surgery is the treatment of surgery on diagnosed patients with diseases of the arterial, venous, and lymphatic system.
{ first place }
{ first place }
Barklie W. Zimmerman, MD, FACS
Peter A. Alexander, MD, FACS
Richmond Surgical Group Henrico | 804.968.4435 www.richmondsurgical.net
Neurosurgical Associates, PC Richmond | 804.288.8204 www.neurosurgicalva.com
{ second place }
{ second place }
Gary W. Tye, MD
John W. Hyslop, MD
VCU Medical Center Harold F. Young Neurosurgical Center Richmond | 804.828.9165 www.vcuhealth.org
{ third place } Rajesh Mehta, MD
Neurosurgical Associates, PC Richmond | 804.288.8204 www.neurosurgicalva.com
Urology
Surgery: Vascular
Surgical Associates of Richmond Richmond | 804.320.2705 www.hcavirginia.com
{ third place } Kenneth B. Brown, MD
Richmond Surgical Group Henrico | 804.968.4435 www.richmondsurgical.net
{ honorable mention } Frank D. Stoneburner, Jr. MD, FACS Virginia Surgical Associates Richmond | 804.288.1953 www.vasurgery.com
A medical specialty that deals with disturbances of the urinary (male and female) and reproductive (male) organs.
{ first place } Charlie Jung, MD
Virginia Urology Richmond | 804.330.9105 www.uro.com
To me, bedside manner is essential to any successful doctorpatient relationship. And despite the complexity of modern medicine today, this simple age-old relationship between a doctor and patient still is, I believe, fundamental to the practice of good medicine. — Charlie Jung, MD
{ second place } Eugene L. Park, MD
Urology Specialists of Virginia Richmond | 804.323.0226 www.urologyspecialistsva.com
{ third place } Boyd Winslow, MD
Children’s Urology of Virginia Richmond | 804.272.2411 www.childrensurologyofva.com
“...I constantly try to learn and improve from the feedback my patients, family and friends give about their experiences...”
{ honorable mention } Nathan L. Guerette, MD The Female Pelvic Medicine Institute of Virginia North Chesterfield | 804.523.2533 www.fpmiofva.com
“...despite the complexity of modern medicine today, this simple age-old relationship between a doctor and patient still is, I believe, fundamental to the practice of good medicine...” 56 | www.ourhealthrichmond.com
HealthyEats HING T E M SO Y R T
proudly sponsored by
Good Foods Grocery
N EW !
One of the best ways to spread good cheer during the holidays is to do some baking. With the beautiful selection of bulk spices available at Good Foods Grocery, you will want to make us your first stop. With so much variety, we have what you need to fulfill your shopping list. And buying in bulk doesn’t have to mean buying a lot; it means getting as much or as little as you want, which keeps everything fresh and the price affordable. And if you don’t feel like cooking, let our deli do it for you. We have an abundant selection of side dishes and sweets sure to please all your guests.
Barley Pilaf Serves 6
Ingredients 2 tsp garlic ¼ cup + 2 tbsp olive oil 1 cup minced onion 2 cups Barley 4 cups water 3 tbsp. veggie chicken powder 1 lb. mushrooms 2 cups spinach, julienned sliced 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. pepper
Directions 1.
Sauté onion and garlic in ¼ cup olive oil until translucent. Add Barley and sauté for 2 minutes.
2.
Add water and veggie chicken powder. Cook until all liquid is absorbed.
3.
Sauté mushrooms in 2 tbsp olive oil and when finished, add to barley and throw in 2 cups of spinach. Cover and leave on heat until spinach is bright green. Add salt and pepper.
Good Foods Grocery’s
YUMMO BARLEY PILAF
Good Foods Grocery—two convenient, neighborhood stores: Open 9am -9pm Mon - Sat. Closed Sundays. | www.goodfoodsgrocery.com Gayton Crossing Shopping Center (West End) | 1312 Gaskins Rd | (804) 740-3518 & Stony Point Shopping Center (Southside) | 3062 Stony Point Rd | (804) 320-6767
HealthyEats S TRY
proudly sponsored by
Good Foods Grocery
ING NEW! H T E OM
Roasted Brussels Sprouts Ingredients
Directions: 1.
Roast Brussels sprouts at 375ºF for 15 – 20 minutes. Add olive oil, salt, & pepper.
2.
In last 5 minutes, add walnuts. Add maple syrup and vinegar to taste. Toss.
3 lbs. Brussels sprouts ¼ lb. shallots, sliced ½ cup walnuts ¼ cup olive oil
Salt & Pepper
Maple syrup
Balsamic vinegar
Good Foods Grocery’s
ROASTED SPROUTS
Good Foods Grocery—two convenient, neighborhood stores: Open 9am -9pm Mon - Sat. Closed Sundays. | www.goodfoodsgrocery.com Gayton Crossing Shopping Center (West End) | 1312 Gaskins Road | (804) 740-3518 & Stony Point Shopping Center (Southside) | 3062 Stony Point Road | (804) 320-6767
HealthyEats T
ETHING M O RY S
proudly sponsored by
Good Foods Grocery
NEW!
Hazelnut Chocolate Chip Yields 3 dozen cookies
Ingredients 2½ cups all-purpose flour 1½ cups sugar ½ cup brown sugar (packed) ½ lb butter (2 sticks) 1 cup Hazelnut Butter 2 eggs 2 tsp vanilla ¼ tsp almond extract 1½ tsp baking soda 1 tsp baking powder 1 cup chopped, roasted, salted, skinned hazelnuts 1½ cups chocolate chips ¼ tsp salt
Directions 1.
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2.
In a bowl, cream together sugars, butter and hazelnut butter until smooth and fluffy, about 1 minute.
3.
Add eggs and extracts – cream together until smooth.
4.
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Beat into butter and egg mixture until smooth, scraping bowl once or twice, about 1 minute.
5.
Stir in chopped nuts & chips.
6.
Portion by rounded tbsp onto cookie sheets. Press down slightly. Bake until golden on the edges, rotating pans half way though baking, about 11 – 14 minutes.
7.
Remove to wire rack to cool. Enjoy!
Good Foods Grocery’s
CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
Good Foods Grocery—two convenient, neighborhood stores: Open 9am -9pm Mon - Sat. Closed Sundays. | www.goodfoodsgrocery.com Gayton Crossing Shopping Center (West End) | 1312 Gaskins Road | (804) 740-3518 & Stony Point Shopping Center (Southside) | 3062 Stony Point Road | (804) 320-6767
LUNG CANCER | our health
Breathing Easier words | TINA JOYCE
Lung cancer offers few warnings until it’s too late. But a new blood test that can help detect the condition in the early stages may be the answer to beating this disease head on. Every Sunday afternoon, Laura*, her husband and two children travel from their home in Highland Springs to her parents’ farm in Chesterfield. She looks forward to this special family time. Watching her kids run along the same streams she did as a child, smelling the simmering pot roast or any other delicious meal her mother prepares in the kitchen and listening to her father and husband debate UVA sports make her feel all is right with the world. Laura particularly enjoys the time she and her father spend sitting on the porch following dinner, just chatting and reflecting. She’s always been a “daddy’s girl”, and a very protective one at that. She’s watched him work so hard throughout her life. But lately, she has noticed something different about him. (continued on page 63) www.ourhealthrichmond.com | 61
our health | LUNG CANCER
Advancements in medical technology have revolutionized how patients and their families approach healthcare Technology has empowered people to research, ask more in-depth questions and seek aggressive treatments. Proactive, preventative screenings and tests allow many life-threatening diseases—such as cancer—to be detected early, significantly increasing survivor rates.
The early detection of lung cancer and smoking cessation significantly increases the survival rates and provides the best chance of survival when accompanied by routine screenings.
The invention of the x-ray in 1895 transformed medical diagnosis and treatment.2 This continually improving tool allows medical professionals to see concerns below the skin’s surface without ever making an incision. However, limitations occur because there is no depth to the images and make it difficult for physicians to see concerns from different angles. This limited visibility hinders the diagnostic power of a simple x-ray. Therefore, inventors and engineers, connected to the medical community, continued to research new ways to improve diagnostic equipment. Subsequently, the evolution of computers led to the invention of a computed tomography (CT) scan in the early 1970’s. Continual improvements in this technology now allow this scan to provide three-dimensional, detailed images of the internal workings of our bodies with much greater clarity than traditional x-rays. The depth and resolution (clarity) have greatly improved in the last three decades, which has led to the increased use of CT scans in medical facilities around the world. CT scans, sometimes referred to as “CAT scans” allow physicians to pinpoint precise locations of blood clots, infections, tumors, or other potentially fatal threats to improve early diagnosis and treatment. These scans also allow surgeons to perform a biopsy with much greater accuracy. The Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reports that CT scans also allow medical professionals to monitor the effectiveness of therapy, such as cancer treatments.3 A study performed from 2002-2010 by the National Cancer’s Institutes National Lung Screening Trail (NLST) concluded that 20% fewer lung cancer deaths occurred with patients receiving a low dose spiral computed tomography scan compared to a traditional chest x-ray.4 However, CT scans are not without risks. A recent article reposted by USA Today reports that CT scans deliver 70 times more radiation than traditional x-rays.5 “Most scientists and regulatory agencies agree that even small doses of ionizing radiation increase cancer risks, although by a very small amount,” reports the American Cancer Society. Additionally, CT scans can produce false positives, leading to possible unnecessary biopsies and undue stress and cost to patients and their families. Therefore, some patients are opting to completely avoid the potentially life-saving screening. Although low, most providers agree the value of the information gained by CT scans far outweighs the risks from cumulative radiation exposure and the risks from no screening at all.
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LUNG CANCER | our health
As demonstrated in this pie chart, lung cancer takes more lives each year than prostate, breast and colorectal cancer combined.
Lung Cancer—The Silent Killer Heavy smokers and former smokers have a 1 in 7 lifetime risk of developing lung cancer. (continued from page 61)
Lung cancer causes almost 160,000
“He’s tired, so tired,” says Laura. “Since I can remember, everyday for him has been an 18-hour day on the farm. He’s goes to the doctor for a check-up about once a year, but doesn’t really take the doctor’s advice. He loves my mom’s cooking too much and he won’t put down those cigarettes he smokes. I know it has to be catching up with him.”
deaths in the US every year—more
Laura’s concern for her father’s years of unhealthy choices is not unwarranted. A poor diet that has contributed to him being overweight and years of smoking have him at risk for several conditions, including lung cancer. “I worry about lung cancer all the time,” Laura continues. “My grandfather and my uncle – Dad’s father and brother – died from it. Granddaddy went to the hospital and was diagnosed with lung cancer the same day he died. My uncle found out he had lung cancer after he had a heart attack. He lived three months. Dad gets so winded doing his work. I know he’s getting older and slowing down, but he’s not that old.” Not wanting to see her father continue the cycle, Laura began researching to seek the latest technological enhancements available on her father’s behalf. Options range from traditional x-rays, to more detailed computed tomography (CT) scans. Her options now also include the recently released PAULA’s test (Protein Assay Using Lung cancer Analytes). Laura’s father is not showing significant enough symptoms for his primary care physician to recommend a CT scan of his lungs, but a heavy smoking history and being over the age of 50 makes him a prime candidate for the new blood test. According to the American Cancer Society, lung cancer causes more deaths every year than breast, prostate and colorectal cancer combined.1 This startling statistic has many family members, like Laura, asking new questions of their doctors.
than breast, prostate and colorectal combined. Approximately 90% of all lung cancers are caused by smoking. 85% of all lung cancer patients die because the disease is usually detected late. Annual screening of smokers—leading to early detection— will save a significant number of lives. PAULA’s Test (Protein Assay Using Lung cancer Analytes) is a blood test that identifies asymptomatic patients who should be considered for follow up. It measures a panel of protein biomarkers associated with lung cancer. An elevated score indicates the possibility of early stage lung cancer and should be investigated further.
The early detection of lung cancer and smoking cessation significantly increases the survival rates and provides the best chance of survival when accompanied by routine screenings.6 Sadly, once symptoms appear, there is an 85 percent death rate from the disease.7 Therefore, researches have been working diligently to develop new methods for the early detection of lung cancer.
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our health | LUNG CANCER
Genesys Biolabs, a division of 20/20 Genesystems, Inc. of Rockville, MD, has been conducting research and recently released a new, pre-screening blood test created to detect tumor proteins in at-risk lung cancer candidates. Genesys Biolabs consists of a team of PhD and MD level scientists and a management group with extensive experience in the diagnostics industry. The test was developed to help identify which patients who should be more thoroughly examined without threatening radiation use. “Although the test is not a conclusive test,” explains Peter Tunon, Vice President of Personalized Medicine, “It will give patients and physicians a much more clear indicator if a CT scan or other diagnostic procedure should be requested.”
A definitive lung cancer diagnosis can only be made through a tissue biopsy The PAULA’s test is named in memory of Paula Shore, who lost her life to cancer in 2005. The blood test measures a panel of protein biomarkers that are commonly associated with lung cancer; three tumor proteins and one additional analyte (a substance that is subject of a chemical analysis). The biomarkers in the panel are then used in combination to generate a composite score. An elevated score indicates that the patient may have early stages of lung cancer according to information supplied by Genesys Biolabs. Those who may benefit from the PAULA’s test are high-risk (defined as those with a smoking history of 20 or more packs per year), asymptomatic smokers and former
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LUNG CANCER | our health
smokers over the age of 50 who are not receiving annual CT scans. The test can be requested and completed in a physician’s office through a simple blood draw. Tests are then sent to Genesys’s federal CLIA (Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment) certified laboratory for analysis and results are returned in a physician’s report within a few days. Currently, lung cancer is often detected in the late stages after patients have developed a chronic cough or other severe symptoms. The PAULA’s test is being found to improve the detection of early-stages of lung cancer without the repeated exposure to cumulative radiation and the risks of false positives. “Physicians know that patients have an 80 percent five-year survival rate if lung cancer is caught early (stage 1A). We’re fortunate to now have a test that physicians can use to test for lung cancer,“ explains John Gillespie, MD, Genesys Biolabs’ Manager, Clinical Affairs, in a recent interview. Studies have shown that people who receive a clinician’s recommendation for cancer screening are more likely to be screened than those who do not receive a recommendation.8 Therefore, it’s critical for healthcare professionals to be aware of life-extending options such as the PAULA’s test. An increasing number of family practice, internal medicine, and pulmonary doctors are utilizing the PAULA’s test to help aid at-risk patients, like Laura’s father, make proactive decisions about their health care choices. The advancements in medical technology have made early diagnosis of fatal diseases possible, and in turn, prolonging the lives of loved ones—allowing many to breathe easier. For more information regarding PAULA’s test see www.bloodtestforlungcancer.com. *Name has been changed to protect the privacy of the family.
Sources: 1,7
American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts & Figures 2011. Atlanta: American Cancer Society; 2011
2
www.lung.org
3
www.fda.org
National Cancer Institute. Lung cancer trial results show mortality benefit with low-dose CT. Accessed on November 22, 2010, 2010. Available at: www.cancer.gov/newscenter/pressrelease/NLSTresultsRelease, 2010. 4
5
www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/03/21/ct-scan-concerns
Wender R, Fontham E, Barrera E, et al. American Cancer Society Lung Cancer Screening Guidelines, CA Cancer J Clin. 2013; In press. 6
Peter Tunon, Vice President of Personalized Medicine
Curry SJ, Byers T, Hewitt M, eds. Fullfilling the Potential of Cancer Prevention and Early Detection. Washington, DC: The national Academies Press; 2003. 8
www.ndt-ed.org Genesys Biolabs. A business unit of 20/20 GeneSystems, Inc. Rockville, MD www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003330.htm
John Gillespie, MD, Genesys Biolabs’ Manager, Clinical Affairs
www.ourhealthrichmond.com | 65
VCU Provides Free Lung Screenings words | TINA JOYCE
November was nationally recognized as Lung Cancer Awareness Month. A large National Cancer Institute-sponsored trial in 2010 confirmed that screening individuals at high risk for lung cancer with annual low-dose CT scans of the chest, reduced lung cancer deaths by up to 20 percent. Locally, in response to the 2010 trial findings and in observance of national lung cancer awareness initiatives, Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center offered free, lowdose CT chest scans to qualifying high-risk patients throughout the month. The free scans, sponsored by the Department of Radiology at VCU Medical Center, were offered to those who clinically qualified after completing an over-the-phone screening process. Patients generally qualifying were long-term smokers over the age of 50. “The general response to the offer has been very good,” remarked Mark Parker, MD in mid-November. Dr. Parker is the director of thoracic imaging at VCU Medical Center and professor of Diagnostic Radiology and Internal Medicine at VCU. “Many physicians have heard of this test and are anxious to send some of their patients. One doctor alone has recommended more than 20 of her patients so far.” The scans save lives by providing early detection. In many patients, symptoms do not appear until the disease has spread and is difficult to treat, so routine evaluation is imperative. VCU continuously offers the low-dose lung cancer CT scans throughout the year, but offered the screenings for free in honor of National Lung Cancer Awareness Month. More information about the scan, VCU’s initiative and the results of the effort can be found at www.vculungscan.com or by calling 804.828.3768. To learn more about the national trial, go to The Lung Cancer Alliance’s website at www.lungcanceralliance.org. 1
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New England Journal of Medicine, Aug. 4, 2011
OCULOPLASTICS | our health
Top: Before treatment, a cataract formed in Ishneila Moore’s left eye, which then became discolored and shifted to the left. Bottom: Following removal of her eye, Moore’s eye socket was prepared for a custom prosthetic that was inserted giving her a more natural appearance.
A Brighter Outlook words | SARAH COX
Jeffrey Zuravleff, MD has brightened the outlook for many people. As a boardcertified specialist in oculoplastic/orbital and reconstructive surgery, he offers both medical and aesthetic services that range from removal of cancerous and noncancerous lesions to fixing fractures of the orbit and upper face, as well as forehead, brow, eyelid and cheek lifts and scar revisions. Ishneila Moore, of Richmond, suffered an injury to her left eye when she was seven years old. By the time she was 21, her eye, whose retina had been shattered, began to exhibit signs of further distress. She went to an eye doctor, who saw that her vision was also deteriorating and referred her for surgery to attempt to reattach the retina. But the eye suffered further trauma from the surgery.
“I was left with an eye that looked off to the left, formed a cataract and became discolored,” she recalls. While Moore was not initially in pain, it became painful by the time she was in her early 30s. “I couldn’t really open my eye because of the pressure,” she says. In her late 30s she went to a retinal surgeon who said she needed to have her eye removed. From there, she was introduced to Dr. Zuravleff and two years ago she began the process of having her eye removed, the socket prepared for a prosthetic and the prosthetic made and placed into the socket. “What I have is a prosthetic shell over the area; a marble-like structure is attached to the socket and to the muscles at the back of the eye, then a shell painted on top of that that moves,” says Moore. www.ourhealthrichmond.com | 67
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OCULOPLASTICS | our health
Moore, an attorney, says she was always insecure about her eye, and these surgeries allow her to look people in the eye now.
Left: Before surgery, Stella Cox says her “drooping” eyelids affected her peripheral vision. Right: Following surgery, Cox says her
“It has certainly enhanced my self-confidence. I have been extremely happy ever since,” says Moore.
peripheral vision has improved and her overall vision is much brighter and clearer.
During the first surgery, her eye was removed. The subsequent outpatient procedures involved the eyelids and the eye cover. She took only 10 days off during the process, and now her maintenance procedure is minimal. She uses eye drops because the eyelid doesn’t receive enough moisture and bleeds slightly, which she says is disconcerting to others. She takes the eye cover off every few weeks to clean it and to ensure everything underneath is doing well. The entire procedure, from start to finish, was accomplished in about six months, and part of that time was spent having the eye made. Stella Cox, also of Richmond, had a different challenge. Her eyelashes were “holding my lids up and affecting my peripheral vision,” she describes. Dr. Zuravleff performed a bilateral forehead/brow lift, a bilateral upper blepharoplasty, Juvéderm filler for the bilateral nasolabial folds and bilateral marionette lines, and Botox to bilateral crow’s feet. She describes this in less medical terminology: “Dr. Z did a complete brow lift, an incision in my hairline that you can’t see, lifted the skin from my forehead, pulled it up and stitched it.” The incision made into her eyelid was done in the crease, and she says that the scar can’t be seen. “My vision is so much better, so much brighter and clearer. I have peripheral vision. Before surgery, it was like I had blinders on. I had this done when I was 55, but before, I looked like I was 75. When I tell people now that I will be 58, they say I don’t even look like I’m 40,” says Cox. www.ourhealthrichmond.com | 69
our health | OCULOPLASTICS
Dr. Zuravleff says that sometimes it is like lifting up the curtains. What he does is a very specialized practice that is a mixture of functionality and aesthetics. Oculoplastics is so specialized that he went from the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Medicine to a residency in ophthalmology and a fellowship in oculoplastic/orbital surgery at Duke University Medical Center. He was board certified in 1991. While the mechanics of what he does haven’t changed much over the years, Dr. Zuravleff says he is seeing more and more specialists of his kind “covering the entire face.” Oculoplastics used to concentrate on the orbital socket and upper face, and others would cover the jaw, but now “more and more overlap as time goes on, because this field has matured. About 30 years ago, there were only a handful of training places in the whole country.”
Jeffrey Zuravleff, MD is a board-certified specialist in oculoplastic/orbital and reconstructive surgery. He practices in Richmond and Fredericksburg. For more information about oculoplastic/orbital surgery or other procedures, visit www. zuravleffmd.com or call 804.934.9344.
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He has continued to take an interest in the aesthetics in his field; for a lot of his patients, surgeries are a mixture of functional and aesthetic concerns. “There’s a lot of satisfaction in my field,” he says, pointing out the younger patients. “You would see some of them wearing their hair completely to one side. They are afraid to show that they have a bluish or scarred eye. They may not tell you that, but you know darn well that is the case,” he says.
HEARTBURN words | RICH ELLIS
A MINOR INCONVENIENCE, OR SOMETHING FAR MORE SERIOUS
Heartburn again.
You knew the spicy chili this late at night always gives you heartburn, but you’d hoped this time would be different. No problem. A few Tums or some Mylanta and in a little while everything will be all right. In the short term, maybe. But where your health is concerned long term, maybe not. The technical term for heartburn is gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), explains Shelly Smith, a nurse practitioner with a doctoral degree in nursing, at Powhatan Medical Associates, part of the Bon Secours Richmond Health System and located in Powhatan, VA. “It’s a normal, physiologic process in which part of the gastric contents periodically move up to the esophagus. It’s fairly normal for people to experience that throughout the day, however not everyone is symptomatic.”
Patients who are symptomatic, Smith explains, tend to have a burning sensation in their esophagus—hence the name heartburn. Gastroesophageal reflux is a common complaint among a large swath of the population. But what many people don’t realize is that in some cases, left untreated, heartburn can cause life-threatening side effects. That’s because the acid that’s continually moving into the esophagus can cause some patients to develop microscopic damage to the esophagus, Smith says.
our health | HEARTBURN
Shelly Smith, a nurse practitioner with a doctoral degree in nursing, at Powhatan Medical Associates, part of the Bon Secours Richmond Health System and located in Powhatan, VA.
Acid refluxing into the esophagus can often be traced to one of two things—increased production of stomach acid or improper functioning of the lower esophageal sphincter—the body’s normal mechanism that is supposed to prevent the acid from rising up from the stomach. People who have a history of hiatal hernia also have a higher incidence of reflux because it affects the mechanics of the stomach, allowing food and acid to move into the esophagus, as can having too much abdominal fat, Smith adds. “The risk factors for heartburn include being over 50 years old, being overweight and having a poor diet—such as a high-fat diet,” Smith explains. “It’s more common in people who use nicotine or caffeine.”
When to seek medical help While many people suffer from heartburn occasionally, not everyone needs to seek medical treatment to alleviate their symptoms. Patients should consider several factors when deciding whether they need assistance, such as the degree to which the heartburn is affecting their quality of life. If heartburn is being experienced only a couple of times a month, then it’s probably something that can be handled with
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an over-the-counter heartburn medication on an as-needed basis and medical treatment isn’t necessary. If, however, the heartburn occurs more than two or three times a week and can’t be controlled with over-the-counter medication, Smith says, people should consider seeking medical advice. “They can start with lifestyle and diet modifications, such as elevating the head of the bed, staying upright after you eat, losing weight and eliminating dietary triggers—processed food, caffeine, spicy food, carbonated beverages, alcohol—avoiding tobacco and eating late at night. That’s kind of stage 1,” Smith says. Someone who knows firsthand about heartburn and dietary triggers is 49-year-old Powhatan resident Jay Hair. His heartburn began around 1995 and it was something he battled for almost 15 years. Hair said he was working odd hours that caused him to come home late at night and he’d eat a heavy or spicy meal. That late-night eating was a heartburn trigger for him, as were dairy and chocolate.
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our health | HEARTBURN
“I tried Tums and that didn’t help,” Hair explains. “What worked then was Prilosec and I later switched to Nexium.” What helped the most, however, were lifestyle changes. After resuming a more normal work schedule, Hair said he stopped eating anything after 8 p.m.—something that’s difficult for him because he has a high metabolism and is often hungry soon after he eats—and avoided dairy and chocolate. He also elevated the head of his bed.
If heartburn occurs more than two or three times a week and can’t be controlled with over-the-counter medication, Smith says, people should consider seeking medical advice.
“I’ve been off everything (medications) for three years,” Hair says. “Those changes pretty much took care of it. I’ve been having some recent throat issues—a lot of coughing at night—and they (Smith) are suggesting that I go back on Nexium to see if that helps. I’m going to see how I feel over the next few days. If I’m not feeling better, then I probably will go on Nexium in the short term.” If those lifestyle changes like Jay Hair made aren’t successful, Smith says the next step is to move on to medications, which fall into different categories. One common class of heartburn drugs is known as PPIs or proton pump inhibitors. They work by inhibiting the pump responsible for producing stomach acid. “If patients are still having symptoms, then we start thinking about, perhaps, an endoscopy or upper G.I. (gastrointestinal). We use a camera to look down their esophagus to see if they have an ulcer. We can also take a biopsy at that time to ensure they don’t have a bacterial infection,” Smith explains. The concern with ignoring or not treating heartburn is twofold. In some cases, heartburn can lead to a precancerous condition known as Barrett’s esophagus. The condition results in the tissue lining the esophagus changing as a complication of GERD and the chronic exposure to stomach acid. Barrett’s esophagus is more prevalent in white males, and its presence increases the risk of developing adenocarcinoma, more commonly known as esophageal cancer. Additionally, Smith says it’s important for patients and healthcare providers not to confuse heartburn with cardiac chest pain. “That’s why it’s always a good idea to come in and see your primary care provider and talk about your symptoms to make sure nothing more dangerous is going on,” Smith adds. In addition to consulting with their physician, Smith reiterates the importance of people’s first making lifestyle changes to combat heartburn, including avoiding food late at night, caffeine or large, heavy meals; reducing fat intake; remaining upright after a meal; ceasing smoking; and keeping a food diary to see what triggers the heartburn. Those simple changes often bring immediate relief for a number of patients suffering from heartburn, as well as help them avoid potentially more serious health complications and damage that can accompany chronic heartburn later on.
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the richmond resource for health and well being
local health. Anywhere you go. OurHealth magazine is Richmond’s only resource entirely dedicated to delivering information about local healthcare services and healthy living topics. Pick up our print edition at more than 900 locations throughout Richmond or get the digital edition by visiting www.ourhealthrichmond.com.
PART II OF OUR SERIES
DENTAL HEALTH FOCUS Latest Advances in Dental Care words | JENNIFER ROMEO
When was the last time you visited a dental healthcare professional? You might be surprised at just how much has changed since your last consultation. In the dental health section of OurHealth’s October/November 2013 edition, we asked local dental health professionals to clarify some common misconceptions. In part II of our series, we report on some of the latest advancements impacting your dental healthcare. From diagnosis to treatment, medical and cosmetic dentistry are advancing in more ways than one. New technologies and techniques are making dental healthcare easier, faster and more successful.
Careful diagnostics It all starts with a clear diagnosis, and new advancements are making this process easier for both patients and providers. One technology on the cutting edge is cone beam imagery, which is transforming the way dental healthcare professionals gather information. “The cone beam is new in our offices, and it allows us to see three dimensions. This is great for complex cases,” says Ronald Vranas, DDS of Commonwealth Endodontics. Ronald Vranas, DDS Commonwealth Endodontics
Using a minimal amount of radiation, the cone beam enhances magnification, and the end result—a unique, comprehensive view of the targeted area—is quick and painless to obtain. To use cone beam imagery, the provider has the patient stand while an image is taken around the patient’s head in only 20 seconds. “It’s definitely a change—almost a breakthrough—because we can now see the whole tooth, as opposed to two dimensions with a standard x-ray,” adds Dr. Vranas, who has over 20 years of experience in dental healthcare.
our health | DENTAL HEALTH FOCUS
In addition to cone beam imagery, Dr. Vranas also employs digital radiographs when diagnosing patients. Using digital radiographs allows dental healthcare professionals to take and process multiple images quickly without any developing time at all. “Digital radiographs allow us to take digital x-rays and see large images on our screens immediately. We can then show patients the results instantly and discuss what is necessary for treatment and what will happen next,” Dr. Vranas explains. Both cone beam imagery and digital radiographs use low doses of radiation to reduce the patient’s risk of exposure. “There is always some risk associated with radiation, but the nice thing is that we look at a very small, enhanced view, allowing us to reduce the amount of radiation,” adds Dr. Vranas. “Exposure is really very minimal, especially compared to medical-grade imaging.”
When surgery is the answer While advancements in imaging continue to make diagnosing a patient’s health concern easier, new technologies are simultaneously making treatment faster and more effective. In fact, new technologies in oral surgery are transforming the way dental healthcare professionals address many common health concerns, including tooth loss. Among those are new implant designs that fuse with bone much faster and are much stronger than previous techniques, and new bone graft materials that reduce pain. Options for nearly every patient, these new techniques are extremely reliable in the long term. “Almost everyone can have dental implants,” explains Kanyon Keeney, DDS of Virginia Oral & Facial Surgery. “The patients who have been wearing dentures have life-changing results with dental implants. Those who are missing just one tooth also have an advantage by receiving a dental implant versus the traditional bridge techniques.” Dental healthcare professionals like Dr. Keeney use new bone grafting materials to act as scaffolding and to stimulate the patient’s own bone to grow wherever the graft is placed. New growth factors then accelerate the growth process. 80 | www.ourhealthrichmond.com
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“With the combination of new anesthesia techniques, as well as these new procedures and materials, it is faster than ever—not only the duration of the surgery, but also the healing time,” Dr. Keeney states. “Most patients are surprised that it was less painful and less difficult than they expected.” Even patients who have been without teeth for years and have lost a significant amount of bone in the jaw, such as those wearing dentures, can benefit from these procedures.
Kanyon Keeney, DDS Virginia Oral & Facial Surgery
“We can replace that bone or often can avoid areas where there is low bone and still provide the patient with a complete set of teeth with strong and reliable function,” adds Dr. Keeney. As with any surgery, there are some risks associated with dental implants and bone grafting, but patients boast excellent results. As Dr. Keeney explains, “The risks are few, but as with any type of oral surgery, infection is always a possibility. The infection rate is the lowest in history (less than 1 percent) and implant success rates are approaching 99 percent lifetime function.” In the end, these procedures can have a dramatic impact on a patient’s daily life. From improving function to improving appearance, replacing missing teeth with a more permanent solution like those Dr. Keeney explores can be invaluable.
Alex Hawkins, DDS Hawkins Family Dentistry
Maintaining a skillful balance Alex Hawkins, DDS of Hawkins Family Dentistry also appreciates the importance of balancing function and appearance for patients. “I love my team and my patients and genuinely look forward to coming to work each day. We have fun and give people a healthy smile; what could be more rewarding than that?” asks Dr. Hawkins. To do so, Dr. Hawkins utilizes a number of new technologies. Among those are Six Month Smiles short-term braces and CEREC same-day crowns. “With Six Month Smiles, we can give you straight teeth in literally about six months,” states Dr. Hawkins. “This is not a complete replacement for traditional orthodontics, but for the patient who needs cosmetic correction more than bite correction (due to crowding or spacing in the front teeth, primarily), it’s a great alternative to traditional braces.” Patients are often most impressed by how quickly teeth begin to move into place. “It’s another win-win for the right patient,” adds Dr. Hawkins. To put another finishing touch on his patients’ smiles, Dr. Hawkins also finds success in CEREC same-day crowns. “We have the capability to make beautiful crowns in the office in a single visit, eliminating the need for a ‘goopy’ impression and the wearing of a temporary crown, as well as saving the patient a return visit,” Dr. Hawkins explains. The new procedure is often an enormous relief for patients, especially those who may have had crowns put in years ago. “Virtually every patient in need of a crown is a candidate, and the cost to the patient is identical to a traditional crown,” adds Dr. Hawkins. “All patients who have previously had crowns done the ‘traditional’ way have been hugely appreciative of the convenience.” www.ourhealthrichmond.com | 81
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Saving time and increasing precision Dale C. Rogers, DDS, an orthodontist with Dr. Baxter Perkinson & Associates Family Dentistry & Orthodontics also has experience with technologies that eliminate the need for messy and timeconsuming impressions. Dr. Rogers utilizes digital oral scanners, a major advancement in dental healthcare, to replace previous impression procedures. “It is no longer necessary to take molds of your teeth. Instead, we do a scan of your teeth that takes less than 30 minutes,” explains Dr. Rogers. This saves the patient from making multiple visits to the office and helps ensure orthodontics fit better. Despite every advance in technology, the key to dental healthcare still is maintaining dental hygiene. “An individual must have healthy gums and teeth,” Dr. Rogers reminds us. “But, it does not have to be perfect.” If you would like to learn more about these technologies and other procedures, please schedule a complimentary consultation to seek an expert dental healthcare opinion.
Dale Rogers, DDS Dr. Baxter Perkinson & Associates Family Dentistry & Orthodontics
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