SALLIE’S CORNER October 2015

www.clinchvalleyhealth.com

OCTOBER IS BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

Be sure to wear PINK

every Friday in October!

It’s never too early to promote Breast Cancer Awareness and Trena Blair, Mammography Lead Tech, along with Patty Vencill, Leader, Imaging Services, did just that in this year’s Richlands Blue Tornado Homecoming Parade. They led a group of employee volunteers, as well as two Breast Cancer Survivors and Fighters, Kathy Davis and Brenda Marshall, to spread Breast Cancer Awareness to our community through a “Fight like a Girl” float. It was a great way to spread awareness and inform the community about the services Clinch Valley Health is proud to offer!

On August 18, 2015 at the Tazewell County Public Schools Employee Health Fair, Chad Ashby, Director of Oncology Services, and Marcus Brown, M.D., Radiation Oncologist, were conducting free oral health screenings as a part of their community outreach program. At the event, Tazewell County school teacher, Randy Cordle, approached Chad with a possible cancerous spot on his skin. After he made his examination, Chad asked Dr. Brown to examine him as well. Dr. Brown took immediate action to have this spot removed, and personally made phone calls to schedule Cordle in with General Surgeon, Dr. Indeck, that evening. The next morning Cordle had the cancerous spot removed and in fast turnaround time, his margins came back clear. Because of the quick response and teamwork between our employees, Cordle was able to return to work for the first day of school, cancer free. “I’m very grateful to Clinch Valley for conducting that screening. I have been busy with a political campaign, so I probably would not have made the appointment to go get that checked, but because the hospital had conducted [the screening] I was able to utilize it, and now everything is good,” said Randy Cordle. “I was impressed also with the quality of care that I received. I don’t think I could have received any better care anywhere, and it was right here in our community.” The Oncology Center is truly living out their motto, “Cancer Care Close to Home” as well as Clinch Valley Health’s mission to set the standard for delivering exceptional healthcare and improving the quality of life for our community.

“I don’t think I could havereceived any better careanywhere, and it was right here in our community.”-Randy Cordle

FREE HEALTH SCREENING SUCCESS

On Tuesday, September 15, 2015, Clinch Valley Health provided health screenings to employees of Suncoke Energy (Jewell Smokeless) at the company’s safety building in Vansant, Virginia. This health fair is an annual event which is fun and beneficial for both Suncoke Energy and Clinch Valley Health. This year, Clinch Valley Health served 69 participants, 65 of which took advantage of the lab services. Our employees completed 55 bone density scans, 55 EKG’s, 30 hearing screenings, 46 flu shots, 55 pulmonary function tests, and 63 blood glucose finger sticks. This was a very successful event and we look forward to working with Suncoke Energy again next year.

Jewell Smokeless Health Fair Recap

MRI Ribbon Cutting On September 23, 2015, Patty Vencill and her department, along with Clinch Valley Health’s Board of Trustees, celebrated the opening of the MRI Suite with an official Ribbon Cutting. Patty provided the group with information

about how the new MRI and suite have positively impacted the patient experience and imaging capabilities here at Clinch Valley Health. The new MRI Suite is equipped with the latest technology providing patients with a more comfortable and relaxing MRI expierence.

For 84 year old Dick Lee, coming to rehab at Clinch Valley Health has been a routine of his for over ten years following a heart attack in 2003. He began therapy immediately after he left the hospital and hasn’t quit since. When asked what the biggest challenge for him was, he couldn’t really think of one. He stated, “It’s just like a job. You get in the habit of it and you just come in and do your exercise.” However, he finds therapy to be continuously rewarding, from the many nurses who have worked with him generously, allowing him to set his own pace while also reaching goals, to the many friendships he has built through his stages of therapy. “When you’re down and then you come in [for therapy] and you see all the others that you’ve got to know and see what they have went through, even my own son, it can be hard, but it can also make it easier,” said Dick Lee. “There is a group of three of us early birds that come in together and we just have the best time. I actually look forward to coming.” One hard part about the entire experience has been seeing some of his friends pass away that he met and exercised in therapy with for many years. However, the hardest part of all was seeing his son Dick “Richard” Lee Jr. suffer from his very own heart attack. “I hated having to see him go through what he went through, especially at such a young age. It just about broke my heart and his mother’s. We’ve suffered with it, but he has come a long way.” For 49 year old Dick “Richard” Lee Jr., therapy wasn’t as easy. Last May he suffered from a heart attack resulting in open heart surgery that June. Disregarding the doctor’s

recommendations, he didn’t immediately begin therapy. He figured he could get better on his own. “I didn’t want people to know I was sick, and I made the worst decision to go back to work,” said Richard Lee. He soon realized the pain he was suffering through wasn’t going to go away, so he quit working and began therapy. “Seeing my dad leaving as I was coming in really encouraged me,” said Richard Lee. “I was kind of shy and didn’t really want to come at first.” After completing the therapy program, Richard Lee left Clinch Valley Health a stronger and healthier man. He credits the encouragement he received from his father, Lisa Shepard, R.N., and all the other nurses who helped him along the way. He stated, “At the end of every session, Lisa or someone would talk to me about nutrition to help educate me not only just on therapy and exercises but beyond that, which I found to be very important.” “Out of all the jobs I have had during my career as a Registered Nurse, this has by far been my favorite,” said Lisa Shepard, R.N. “Seeing their attitudes change from the moment they walk through the door to when they leave or complete their session is the most rewarding feeling.” Richard Lee loves sports cars, but wasn’t able to get his out much because of the pain he was suffering from. Lisa recalls one day in particular when Richard Lee showed up to therapy and asked Lisa to come outside. He showed her his car and said, “Because of you I am able to get this out again, and return to a more normal life.” “Many people will tell you to set countable goals, but for most people their goal is to just be able to go to the grocery store and not have to ride in a motorized cart,” said LisaShephard. “I can’t explain the feeling I get when I see them reach their goals. The day Richard brought his car to therapy, it made me so emotional. I tear up just talking about it.” When asked what was next for the two, Dick Lee stated, “As long as I am able, I’m going to be here.” For Richard Lee, he is continuing to go to doctor’s appointments for other health reasons, but credits Clinch Valley Health for getting him to where he is today.

MULTI-GENERATIONAL REHAB SUCCESS

Clinch Valley Health again participated in the annual Cedar Bluff Heritage Festival, held this year on Saturday, September 19. Clinch Valley Health provided a valuable

service to the local community by offering free flu shots and cardiovascular

screenings. The cardiovascular screenings checked heart rate, blood pressure, and

cholesterol. Clinch Valley Health administered 558 flu shots and provided

175 cardiovascular screenings. Thank you so much to everyone who helped to make this event—and the positive impact it has

on our community—a success.

FREE FLU SHOT AND CARIDAC SCREENING CLINIC AT THE HERITAGE FESTIVAL

Director of Pharmacy, Sarah Ramey, Pharm.D. BCPS, went live on WCYB for the News at Noon on September 17, to inform the public about the importance of getting flu shots this flu season, and to promote the Free Flu Shot Clinic that Clinch Valley Health held at the Cedar

Bluff Heritage Festival on September 19. Sarah did an excellent job representing

Clinch Valley Health!

EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT GROUP UPDATES New renovations have been completed in the Cunningham House so that it may serve as our organization’s education center. The EAG is currently voting to name

the Cunningham House to honor an individual who has shown tremendous years

of service in the realm of educating and training others for the benefit of our health system and community. Three names are currently in the running, and once a name

has been decided upon, we will have a plaque made, as well as a dedication

ceremony for our new Education Center. The Clinch Valley Health Employee

Advisory Group is a formal committee developed to work as a liaison for its

organization and employees. The EAG aims to maximize employee relations, provide a

healthy work environment, and to recognize employees by giving them a voice and

influence in matters affecting them and the environment in which they work.

$1,000 EMPLOYEE REFERRAL BONUS PROGRAM SUCCESS

Vickie Davis, MLT, successfully referred a Medical Laboratory Technician, which was one of the

positions identified for the $1,000 referral bonus. The ERBP was developed to reward the

recruitment efforts of all paid CVMC-PHH-Clinic employees. Any CVMC-PHH-Clinic employee who

successfully refers an applicant to a benefits-eligible, hard-to-fill (HTF) position at, CVMC, physician

practices, or Home Care will receive the followingpayout: $1,000 over one year ($500 on hire, $250 after six months, $250 after one year.) For more information and other guidelines, please contact

John Knowles at 276-596-6030.