Health News

New tele-health services

Haywood Regional Medical Center is now offering teleNeurology and telepsychiatry services in partnership with SOC Telemed.

The partnership enables HRMC to access time-sensitive neurological and acute psychiatric expertise whenever and wherever it is needed.

“Our new emergency teleNeurology program will cover neurological emergencies throughout the hospital, including acute stroke. While stroke may be the most familiar reason for emergency teleNeurology, this technology allows for experienced neurologists to support hospital efforts with rapid response, real-time engagement on a variety of neurologic issues, both urgent and nonurgent,” said Susan Mahoney, Michaela Curry, RN, (left) and Lisa CNO at HRMC. “Likewise, our Kilby, CAN/Unit Secretary at new emergency telePsychiatry Haywood Regional Medical Center. service provides experienced specialists for all psychiatric diagnoses, from those psychiatry patients presenting in the emergency department to new and emerging psychiatric care needs anywhere in the hospital.”

Santa to visit Harris Regional Hospital

The New Generations Birthing Center at Harris Regional Hospital will host the annual Santa Event from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 16, at the Harris Medical Park, 98 Doctors Drive, Sylva.

Join Harris Regional Hospital and Swain Community Hospital at the Drive-Thru Christmas celebration with seasonal goodies, food, gifts and photos with Santa.

For everyone’s safety and per CDC guidelines, masks will be required at the Drive-Thru Christmas celebration. In addition, an optional free COVID-19 vaccine clinic will be available onsite for both adults and children. The COVID-19 vaccine clinic will be separate from the Drive-Thru Christmas celebration.

WCU artist gifts artwork to cancer patient

The Harris Regional Cancer Center proudly partners with the Western Carolina University School of Art and Design to display beautiful student artwork. While visiting the Cancer Center, patients often admire the alluring nature of each carefully crafted image. For some patients, the artwork elicits joy and wonder in a time of hardship.

A patient of the Cancer Center was diagnosed with lung cancer and frequently visited for radiation treatment. While receiving treatment, she shared her appreciation for one specific painting. The adoration of the painting prompted swift action from the Harris Regional Cancer Center staff. The care team reached out to the artist of the painting, and as a result, the WCU art student offered to gift the painting to the cancer patient.

The Harris Regional Cancer Center staff and the art student worked together to surprise the cancer patient with a phenomenal piece of artwork. The patient was incredibly surprised and moved by the kind gesture. Days after receiving the painting, and being overcome with emotion, the patient was informed that she is officially cancer-free.

If you are a smoker or a former smoker, and between the ages of 50 and 80, you may qualify or be eligible for a lung cancer screening exam. Take our lung cancer risk assessment at myharrisregional.com/lung.

Wound practitioner now at Harris

Harris Regional Hospital and Swain Community Hospital recently welcomed board-certified Wound Practitioner Deborah Howard to Harris Wound Healing and Hyperbaric Center.

Howard will serve Jackson, Swain, Graham, and Macon counties and the surrounding region. She specializes in acute and chronic wound management, including the integration with local providers in nutrition, diabetes, and vascular care.

Howard completed her nursing degree at Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tennessee. Since then, she has held multiple leadership roles and traveled around the world to hone certain aspects of her craft. Most recently, Howard acted as the medical director and lead provider for Tennessee and Mississippi for Wound Care Providers of America.

Harris Wound Healing & Hyperbaric Center is located at 37 Medical Park Loop, Suite 100, Sylva. For more information, visit the call 828.586.7910 or visit healogics.com/find-wound-care-center.

HRMC welcomes spine care doctor

Haywood Regional Medical Center recently welcomed Dr. Brian Haycook to its staff.

Haycook will be offering spine care to patients throughout Haywood County and beyond. His specialties include treatment of spinal disorders, minimally invasive spine surgery for lumbar fusion and disc herniations, cervical disc replacement surgery, fractures of the spine, sacroiliac joint fusion surgery, and adult reconstructive surgery.

Haycook joins HRMC from an orthopedic practice in St. Augustine, Florida. Previously, he received his Doctor of Medicine from the University of Miami School of Medicine in Miami. He also completed an orthopedic residency within the Greenville Hospital System in Greenville, South Carolina, and a spine surgery fellowship at OrthoIndy in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Haycook is now seeing patients at Mountain Spine Care. Appointments may be made by calling 828.452.8378.

Health care with record-low premiums

Pisgah Legal Service’s Health Justice program can help people in Western North Carolina sign up for Affordable Care Act (ACA) health insurance, and access new savings.

The HealthCare.gov Marketplace’s Open Enrollment Period is now, when people throughout WNC, and the country, can sign up for quality, affordable health insurance for 2022, but they must act before the Jan. 15 deadline.

Thanks to the American Rescue Plan, people are seeing significantly reduced monthly premiums and lower out-of-pocket costs. During the Special Open Enrollment Period that just ended in August of this year, 2.8 million people took advantage of these new savings with more than half of them finding plans for $10 or less/month.

Trained navigators are ready to help local people for free who would like help reviewing the plans and signing up. Make an appointment at pisgahlegal.org/aca or call 828.210.3404.

Messina joins HRMC

sports physicals, hypertension, chronic and acute illnesses, immunizations and vaccines, minor conditions and injuries, diabetes, well woman care and mental health.

Messina recently completed a residency through Shenandoah Valley Family Medicine Program at Virginia Commonwealth University. She earned her Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Virginia School of Medicine in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Messina is now seeing patients at Waynesville Family Practice. Appointments may be made by calling 828.456.3511.

Harris, Swain hospitals hires new NP

Harris Regional Hospital and Swain Community Hospital recently welcomed Leah Seiger, a nurse practitioner, to Harris Pulmonary and Sleep Center where she will provide pulmonary services to patients from Jackson, Swain, Macon, and Graham counties and the surrounding region.

Seiger specializes in diagnosing and treating chronic and acute conditions of the respiratory tract, as well as sleep-disordered breathing.

Seiger holds a Master of Science in Nursing from Texas A & M University. She is an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) and a nurse practitioner certified by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. Most recently, Seiger cared for patients as a nurse practitioner at South Texas Pulmonary and Critical Care Associates, following service at a diabetes and cardiovascular clinic in Rockport, Texas.

Seiger takes a holistic approach to caring for her patients.

“I pursued a career in nursing due to my desire to enable vulnerable populations to receive access to quality healthcare,” Seiger said. “I am passionate about nursing because of the rewarding experiences it offers and the opportunities to learn something new every day.”

Appointments can be made by calling 828.586.7994 or by visiting myharrisregional.com/schedule.

Pankonin joins Haywood Regional

Haywood Regional Medical Center recently welcomed Dr. Mark Pankonin to its staff.

Pankonin will be offering services in gastroenterology to patients throughout Haywood County and beyond. His specialties include endoscopy procedures, ulcerative colitis, chronic heartburn, Crohn’s disease, colonoscopy procedures, and liver and digestive diseases.

Pankonin comes to us from Covenant Hospital in Saginaw, Michigan. He trained as a Jackson Gastroenterology Fellow at the University of Miami and completed his internship at Emory School of Medicine in Atlanta. Previously, he earned his MD/Ph.D. from the Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit.

He is now seeing patients at his office at Mountain Medical Associates. Appointments may be made by calling 828.452.0331.