Message

from

Hon. Frank

E. Smith,

Chairman of

the Board of

Directors

Volume 3, Issue 1, May 2014

nutrition and fitness. Expansion of services and access to public health clinics direct the public toward a low-cost provider while in-creasing accessibility to care. Ultimately, more investments will continue to be made in the public health sector which will allow for even higher levels of productivity, efficiency and efficacy than the already high standards we have achieved. But the road to a sustainable, modern model of public healthcare will always continue to rely on making sure we gain the maximum value for each dollar spent. I urge each of us to do our part to help con-tain costs where ever we are in the Public Hospitals Authority. There is nothing clichéd about the outstanding work the PHA does on a day to day basis . Sen. The Hon. Frank Smith Board Chairman

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Message from the Managing Director Hypertension Awareness

Operation Bright Journey Lupus Awareness

US Embassy Donates X-ray machines Retirement/Farewell

Sandilands Wheelchair Bus Happy Nurses Month

PEP/Long Service Awards 2014 Healthy Recipe Corner

Administrative Professionals Week Birthday Greetings

Cost containment in the health sector, after hearing these words so often they begin to sound clichéd to our collective ears; but the truth is cost of health-care in both the public and private sector has increased rapidly over recent years, con-tributing to the budgetary stress that governments are already facing as a re-sult of declining of stagnant revenues and escalating costs in other areas. The countervailing pressure of our continued progress toward evidence based, best practices model of healthcare demands the expansion and modernization of our public healthcare facilities, clinicians and infrastructure in the face of increased demand for healthcare services by the public. The bottom line is, constraining skyrock-eting medical costs is the most critical—and vexing—aspect of healthcare reform. Experience and the latest research has taught us that wellness programs reduce employees’ need for costly medical inter-ventions and increase quality of life by focusing on preventative strategies like

Colleagues:

The month of May is a significant month for many reasons, not the least of

which is Mother’s Day. May is also important to the Public Hospitals

Authority Family as May is Nurses Month and the observance of the

month serves to highlight the invaluable role nurses play in the nation’s

overall wellbeing.

During the month of May various events seek to raise awareness of nurs-

ing as a profession and the outstanding work nurses do across the length

and breadth of the Bahamas. On Sunday May 18th, Nurses across the

country came together to participate in what has been dubbed a successful

parade through Downtown Nassau. In Grand Bahama the Paula Neymour

Noble Tea Party was held on May 5th to emphasize the important work

nurses undertake on behalf of the community.

As important as these and other events and initiatives are to raising awareness of the nursing pro-

fession, I am of the firm conviction that Nurses Month allows us the opportunity to express our

gratitude to these outstanding sentinels of healthcare. The Public Hospitals Authority is commit-

ted to the professional development of nurses and the further development of nursing in the Baha-

mas. Our track record I believe serves to cement that commitment. You may remember that begin-

ning in 2009 the PHA invested in the advanced training of nurses in a variety of key specialties in-

cluding critical care nursing, ophthalmic nursing, renal nursing and medical surgical nursing. We

have also committed to the development of the patient care assistant program which will allow

nurses more flexibility, efficiency and effectiveness at the patient bedside.

This nurses month I offer congratulations to all the nurses who are part of our PHA family, may each of you enjoy the events planned for this month and be encouraged by the warm regard of your

colleagues across the Authority.

Herbert H. Brown

Managing Director

MESSAGE FROM THE MANAGING DIRECTOR

OPERATION “BRIGHT JOURNEY”

CHINESE & BAHAMIAN TEAMS CELEBRATE 101 SUCCESSFUL SURGERIES OVER 10 DAYS

Following one hundred and one (101) cataract surgeries spanning ten (10) days Chinese and Bahamian medical teams were hosted to a reception at The Balmoral at Sandford Drive, New Providence on Monday 12th May, 2014.

The collaborative effort between China and The Bahamas was sig-naled by Minister of Health, Dr. the Honourable Perry M. Gomez as a benchmark of the ―type of bilateral relations that can be fostered between the Bahamas and China‖. Gomez, while forecasting systemat-ic changes which will improve healthcare in the coming months, said he hoped that the Bright Journey Project would be the prototype for future exchanges between the medical scholarship of both countries.

For his part, Chinese Ambassador His Excellency Yuan Guisen echo-ing the sentiments of the Minister of Health said the success of the Bright Journey Project is a testament of ―what can be achieved between medical teams working together and the exchange opportu-nities to be fostered.‖

On Tuesday 13th May, 2014 the Ministry of Health & Public Hospitals Authority graciously accepted a gift of medical equipment valued at approximately Five Hundred and Seventy-Eight Thousand dollars ($578,000) from the Government of the Peoples Republic of China. The equipment was sourced from the Bright Journey Project which commenced at the Princess Margaret Hospital on Thursday 1st May, 2014 and concluded on 12th May, 2014.

US Embassy Donates X-ray Machines to PHA

US Embassy officials formally handed over four new portable X-ray machines during a brief ceremony at the Princess Margaret Hospital in the newly constructed Critical Care Block. On hand was the Minister of Health Dr Perry Gomez and representa-tives from the Public Hospitals Authority. This latest donation is the culmination of three public health projects in the Bahamas supported by the United States Government’s Depart-ment of Defence’s Global Health Engagement policy and the United States Northern Command’s (USNORTHCOM) Building Partner Capacity programme facilitated through the US Embassy in Nassau.

The US Embassy’s Political Officer Yancy Caruthers highlighted the significance of ―health diplomacy,‖ stating that above economic or physical resources – people are the most important commodity. The X-ray machines will double the size of the Public Hospital Authority’s capacity to serve patients, as three of the machines will be used to service patients throughout New Providence while the other will be transferred to Grand Bahama to serve the critical needs of patients there.

PHA CELEBRATES ITS ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONALS In celebration of Administrative Professionals Day 2014 (April 23rd), the PHA hosted an Administrative Professionals Workshop under the theme ―PHA....Celebrating Our Office Professionals Who Make the Office Work‖. Participants included administrative profes-sionals from Corporate Office and the Agencies, Princess Margaret Hospital and Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre. The event was held at the British Colonial Hilton Hotel and presenters included Ms. Vernice Walkine, CEO of the Nassau Airport Development Company; Prof. Wilston Anderson, V.P. Academic Affairs, Atlantic College; Mrs. Keshell Kerr -Davis, CEO—The Training Authority; and Miss Cherrylee Pinder, CEO of CP Train-ing and Consulting Services.

R etirement

We recently bade farewell to several long serving ―family‖ members of staff. Saying ―adieu‖ were Mr. Errol Johnson, Mr.

Walter Stuart and Mr. Dudley Symonette of the Capital Development Unit, and Mrs. Cora Clarke of the Bahamas National

Drug Agency. We wish them all continued good health and happiness, and all the best in their future endeavours.

Also saying good-bye were Ms. Tonya Bethel of the Projects Unit and Mrs. Tiffany Stubbs of the Capital Development;

although only with us for a short while, their bright smiles and sunny dispositions will be missed.

H appy

Mr. Errol Johnson Mr. Walter Stuart Mr. Dudley Symonette Ms. Cora Clarke

B on V oyage

Ms. Tonya Bethel

AND BABY MAKES. . . FIVE

While we were busy saying our farewells…. we were also saying ―Hello There Little Ones‖ to the five (5) newest

members of the PHA Corporate extended family! .. Wow FIVE NEW BABIES ...Is that a record or what?

Mrs. Tiffany Stubbs

PEP 2014 ..GLITZ & GLAMOUR, PHA STYLE

Recently, the Public Hospitals Authority and Sandilands Rehabilita-

tion Centre welcomed the Right Reverend Laish Boyd, Diocesan Bish-

op for the Bahamas and Turks & Caicos Islands to Sandilands’ Fox

Hill campus to bless and commission a brand new Ford F550 wheel-

chair bus. Sandilands residents John Darville and Lorene Curry were

invited to cut the ribbon prior to the bus taking its first official ride

around the Fox Hill area.

The bus was purchased in December 2013 and is designed to carry up

to ten (10) passengers in wheelchairs, and has retractable bench seat-

ing for up to twenty (20) able-bodied riders. Staff and residents of

the Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre were invited to inspect the bus

closely and the specific features of the vehicle were explained by

Sandilands transport officers Mr. Williard Rahming and Mr. Marvin

Henfield.

Administrator for Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre, Sharon Williams

stressed the difference access to safe, reliable wheelchair accessible

transportation would make in the lives of Sandilands residents who

are wheelchair bound. She encouraged those present to stand in the

shoes of many of the wheelchair bound patients at the institution for

whom transportation is often an issue. She also emphasized the utili-

ty of the bus’ hydraulic wheelchair lift system which would minimize

the lifting staff would have to do in transporting wheelchair bound

patients

SRC WHEEL-CHAIR BUS

We took time out to wish

all the hardworking and

dedicated Nurses of the

PHA a Happy Nurses

Month!

Several activities were

held during the month,

including the Annual

Church Service & Parade

and a Fun Run Walk.

NURSES MONTH

SRC 3RD ANNUAL WHEELCHAIR PUSHATHON

Even the rain was no deterrent, as persons braved the inclement weather

to take part in the 3rd Annual SRC Wheelchair Pushathon/Walkathon,

held on Saturday April 26th, 2014! Corporate Office was well represent-

ed, with a contingent of 15 staff members participating in the event. Go

Team Corporate! Get Fit, We Dare You!

Corporate Office represented well, with some ten persons participating

and a few even placing in the event. GO TEAM , GO !

Listen to Tips for Wellness‖, presented Dr. Indira

Grimes, Family Medicine physician, during the

7:oo pm evening newscast on ZNS TV channel 13.

Brought to you by The Public Hospitals Authority

… ―Working Together for Best Quality Healthcare‖

HYPERTENSION

High blood pressure – also known as hypertension – increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes and kidney failure. If left uncontrolled, high blood pressure can also cause blindness, irreg-ularities of the heartbeat and heart failure.

The risks of these complications increase exponentially in the presence of other non-communicable diseases like heart disease or diabetes. One third of all adults in the world are affected by high blood pressure. High Blood Pressure can be prevented and it can be treated and controlled. Eat less salt and avoid sugary drinks; eat a balanced diet and eat lots of vegetables and

fresh fruit; don’t drink – if you do drink men try not drink

more than two drinks a day. Women try not to drink more than one drink per day;

exercise - regular physical activity helps prevent and control high blood pressure, diabetes & heart disease;

maintain a healthy body weight; and don’t smoke. If you have been diagnosed as hypertensive or pre-hypertensive, follow your doctor’s orders – and take all medications as prescribed. In its early stages high blood pressure has no symp-toms, so please have your blood pressure checked reg-ularly.

QUESTION: "What is Lupus?" ANSWER: Lupus is a chronic, autoimmune disease that can damage any part of the body (skin, joints, and/or organs inside the body). Chronic means that the signs and symptoms tend to last longer than six weeks and often for many years.

QUESTION: Who Gets Lupus? ANSWER: Anyone can get lupus. However, know that many more women than men get lupus. Women of colour (African American) women are three times more likely to get lupus than Caucasians (white) wom-en. It’s also more common in Hispanic/Latino, Asian, and American Indian women. Both African Americans and Hispanics/Latinos tend to develop lupus at a younger age and have more symptoms at diagnosis (including kidney problems also known as Nephritis).

The most common symptoms of lupus, which are the same for females and males, are:

Red rash or color change on the face, often in the shape of a butterfly across the nose and cheeks.

Painful or swollen joints Swelling (edema) in feet, legs, hands, and/or

around eyes Unexplained fever Chest pain with deep breathing Swollen glands Extreme fatigue (feeling tired all the time) Unusual hair loss (mainly on the scalp) Pale or purple fingers or toes from cold or stress Sensitivity to the sun Anaemia/Low blood count Depression, trouble thinking, and/or memory

problems.

QUESTION: How is Lupus diagnosed?

ANSWER: A doctor who is considering the possibil-

ity of lupus will look for signs of inflammation which

include, pain, heat, redness, swelling, and loss of func-

tion at a particular place in the body. Inflammation

can occur on the inside of your body (your kidneys or

heart, for example), on the outside (your skin), or

both.

LUPUS AWARENESS

VEGAN PUMPKIN CHILI

1 bag of meat-free crumbles ** 1 – medium onion, chopped 1 – cup canned pumpkin (or squash) 1 – 28 oz. can diced stewed tomatoes 1- 15 oz. can kidney or black beans, drained & rinsed 1 – 12 oz. bottle of chili sauce 1-2 tablespoons chili powder 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice 1-1/2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon pepper

In a crock pot, combine all ingredients and slow cook on low for 3-4 hours. On the stove in a soup pot, combine all in-gredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer and for 1 hour.

Serve with your favourite chili toppings!

* if you like spicy chili, consider adding a touch of Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce or cayenne pepper. ** You can substitute lentils, bulgur wheat, or more beans for the crumbles.

Salmon and Spinach Fettucine

375g dry fettuccine pasta

1/4 cup (85g) butter

1 cup (250ml) milk

1 tablespoon plain flour

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

250g smoked salmon, chopped

1/2 bunch chopped fresh spinach

2 tablespoons capers

1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes

1/2 cup chopped fresh oregano Directions Prep.:10min › Cook:15min › Ready in:25min Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add fettuccine, and cook till al dente - about 11 minutes -then drain.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium sauce-pan over medium heat and blend with milk.

Mix in the flour to thicken. Gradually stir in the Parmesan cheese until melted.

Crumble salmon into the butter mixture. Stir in the spinach, capers, sun-dried tomatoes and ore-gano.

Cook and stir about 3 minutes, until heated through. Serve over the cooked pasta.

Find nutritious, hearty and healthy recipes at www.eatingwell.com . Did I mention they’re quick and easy to prepare? Perfect after a hard day at the office !

WATER TIP! You should drink 5 to 12 (8 oz.) cups of water daily OR Drink until your urine is a pale colour. If you are taking medi-cation, drink lots of water. Purchase a water bottle, fill it each day and take it to work, school or play, to ensure you are getting enough water.

JUNE:

June 1 Hurricane Season begins

June 6th Labour Day Holiday

June 7th Whit Monday Holiday

June 14th World Blood Donors Day

June 15th Father’s Day

June 16th World Sickle Cell Day

June 29th PHA Church Service

Co

rpo

rate

Pu

bli

cati

on

s U

nit

20

13

Fitness Walking …

on the Road to

Good Health!

BEAULIEU, NICOLE

KNOWLES, DEVARD

RAHMING, CEDRIC

CARTWRIGHT, KENDICE

CLARKE, PHILSHA

SYMONETTE,TREVINO

CARTER, PHILABERTHA

CLARKE, NADINE R. TAYLOR

HANNA, SOPHIA

ARMBRISTER,SHERAL

VALCIN, DIANA

PINTARD , JOHN

NEWTON, ANGELA

BURROWS, SHAVONNE

BROWN YVONNE

Fitness walking is an excellent way to tone muscles and burn calories. In fact, you can burn almost as many calories with a vigorous walk as you can running, and fitness walking is much less stressful on the body. You will need to average about 12 to 15 minutes per mile (measure your distance with a pedometer, available from sporting goods stores). Start by walking for at least 20 to 30 minutes three to four days per week. Increase this to five to six days per week if you're trying to lose weight.

Here are tips for proper walking form: • Elongate your body by standing tall with head up, chin level, and eyes gazing forward. • Lift chest, and relax shoulders. Breathe deeply as you walk to get the maximum amount of oxygen to your muscles. • Bend arms slightly and swing them front to back, not side to side or crossing the body. Do not swing elbows higher than chest level. • Tilt pelvis forward slightly, and keep abs tight. • Push off with toes and land on heel, rolling back through to toe to push off again. • Maintain a natural stride length.

Add speed intervals to your walks to burn up to 10 times more calories than you would during an ordinary fitness walk. After warming up, fitness walk for three minutes, then add a one-minute speed interval. Increase your walking pace to about eight or nine on an intensity scale of one to 10. At the end of one mi-nute, slow back to your fitness speed. Continue alternating three-minute segments of fitness walking with one-minute increments of speed for a total of 10 intervals. You should interval train only twice a week to allow your body time to recuperate between workouts. Quick Tip: Drink plenty of water before, during, and after your walk, and start with a slow five- to eight-minute warm-up of slow walking. At the end of your walk, cool down and stretch.