’s
November 23, 2016
The Pulse
Your regular check up on SCKMC activities Share your thoughts, story ideas, and comments by e-mail to claytonp@sckrmc.org.
SCKMC to Develop Geriatric Psych Dept The SCKMC Board of Trustees unanimously approved a plan to develop a geriatric psychology unit within the facility during their November meeting. The plan includes moving the current family birthing department to another area within the facility and renovating the current space to allow for up to six double occupancy long term care rooms. Dr. Perry Lin, SCKMC’s Chief of Staff and the community’s only OB/GYN, made it clear during the meeting that this change was not the end of obstetrical care at the medical center. “We are not eliminating the OB department. We are moving it to another section of the hospital,” Dr. Lin said. Hospital staff has already begun working on the first stage of the project, moving the family birthing unit. The team’s goal is to have that portion completed by early next month. “We are hoping for zero down time for this transition. The biggest thing in our favor is that we have a new hospital. Nothing is a bad space in our hospital; everything is nice, pretty new, and aesthetically pleasing. It won’t take much to convert some underutilized spaces into a right sized OB unit. It will be transparent to every family that comes into our facility that we won’t have any difficulties taking care of them,” said Virgil Watson, SCKMC’s Chief Executive Officer. The addition of the Geriatric Psych Unit comes as a direct result of the findings delivered to both hospital and city administrators last month by Quorum Health Resources, the hospital consultation firm hired to review SCKMC’s current operation. “The Quorum report said we have many underutilized spaces in this hospital and that we should find things that are different from our competitors in the area that can be provided to our community. We want to try and do something to serve our elderly community that fits within our mission and vision,” Watson said. SCKMC will be contracting out the geriatric psychology unit to an outside group to run that unit’s day-to-day operation. Hospital administration has not released the name of the group at this point in time, as contract negotiations are ongoing. “It will be under our supervision, but we will contract with a group, with expertise in geriatric psych, to manage that process. It is our understanding that they would provide their own nursing staff and psychiatrist,” said Holly Harper, CFO. SCKMC’s new geriatric psychology unit is scheduled to open in early January.
Healthy Living: Thanksgiving Tips for People with Diabetes Thanksgiving is not only a time to give thanks, but it's also the holiday most known for its savory dishes. If you're diabetic, Thanksgiving dinner can be overwhelming. Here are some simple tips for diabetics to enjoy the holiday without over indulging: •Don’t skip meals or snacks earlier in the day to save calories. It may make it harder to manage your blood sugar. •Take a look at the food on the entire table before you take any. Use your plate as a guide for choosing the foods you eat. •Limit the number of grains to ¼ of your plate. That includes mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, and stuffing. •Choose raw fruits and vegetables. Avoid vegetables in creams, gravies, and butter. •Stick to calorie-free drinks such as water, tea, or diet sodas. •Have a dessert, but take a small portion and eat slowly. •After your meal, take a walk with family, play a game of tag, flag football, or Wii. Exercise will get you moving and is a great way to lower blood sugar levels. For more information on this topic visit the American Association of Diabetes Educators.
This Thanksgiving Remember:
CLEAN
SEPARATE
Wash hands with soap & water before & after handling raw food.
Use separate cutting boards for raw meat, poultry, and seafood.
COOK
CHILL
Using a food Do not leave thermometer is food at room the only way temperature to ensure the for more than safety of meat. two hours.
Hospital Staff Donate for “Trunk or Treat” SCKMC team members Michelle Belindo, Joyce Baker, and Tammie Demo teamed up to organize a booth at the Ark City Recreation Center’s annual Trunk or Treat event. Trunk or Treat offers a safe environment for youth to celebrate Halloween. Hospital staff donated 25 bags of candy that was distributed to over 2,000 children in a two-hour time span. A big thank you to these three ladies for going above and beyond to represent SCKMC at this great community event, and to all those who donated.
“When it comes to my health, I want someone specially trained to care for women.”
Dr. Perry Lin, OB/GYN • Obstetrics • Gynecology • Infertility • Women’s Health • High Risk Pregnancy • Laparoscopic Surgery Dr. Lin is now accepting new patients through SCKMC’s specialty clinic. Call 441-5711 to schedule your appointment today.
www.sckmc.org
(620) 442-2500
6401 Patterson Parkway, Arkansas City
For your family’s healthcare, you want excellence. You want experienced doctors, dedicated nurses, up-to-date facilities and advanced technology. You’ll find them all here. Because we know your family’s healthcare, has to be the best.
Specialty Clinic Tyson Blatchford, MD Willie Posey II, MD General Surgery Internal Medicine / Cardiology Perry Lin, MD OB / GYN
And 10 Other Specialists Visit us online for a full listing
Kamran Shahzada, MD Internal Medicine
Eric Thomson, MD Family Practice
Rhonda Green, MD Family Practice
Angela Ziegler, APRN Family Practice