South Tex S HEALTH NEWS From WINTER 2015

south tex s
HEALTH NEWS from
WINTER 2015
HEALTH SYSTEM
Opening
,
January 5
2015
QUALITY CARE COMES
TO THE MID-VALLEY
IN THIS ISSUE
What you need to know about COPD
Managing congestive heart failure
New STHS ER opens January 5 in Weslaco
“Whenever a new medical
facility opens in the Rio Grande
Valley, the quality of life for all
residents improves. South Texas
Health System's investment in
Rio Grande Valley residents is
very much appreciated.”
“The freestanding ERs are a
welcome asset to our Winter
Texans, offering convenient
emergency care, day or night.
We are excited to have these
facilities to support the medical
needs of all Valley residents.”
“We welcome South Texas
Health System to Weslaco, the
hub of activity in the Mid-Valley.
The Weslaco ER will serve an area
population of over 100,000. We look
forward to partnering with South
Texas Health System in the future.”
- Armando “Mando” Martinez,
State Representative
- Rita Huether, First Responders
Program Manager for Welcome
Home RGV
- Martha Noell, President/CEO,
Weslaco Chamber of Commerce
Tour the new STHS ER in Weslaco!
Grand Opening Celebration and Community Health Fair
Saturday, January 24, 2015, 9 a.m. – Noon
330 West Expressway 83, Weslaco
Join us to celebrate the new ER in Weslaco! Bring the family for a tour,
health screenings, flu shots, activities for the kids and more!
On the cover from left to right: Sergio Garcia, CT Tech; Adria J. Eernisse, RN; David Haman, MD;
Paul Mata, Jr., Radiology Coordinator; Alejandra Dominguez, Admissions Representative/Registrar
in South Texas
24/7 emergency care: Around the
clock, around the corner
To help provide more area residents with
convenient access to quality emergency care,
South Texas Health System is constructing
two new 24-hour emergency rooms in Weslaco
and Mission.
The new STHS ERs will treat emergency medical
conditions including but not limited to chest
pain, broken bones, minor lacerations and
patients suffering from the flu and other ailments.
Staffed with credentialed emergency room
physicians, these neighborhood centers can
provide stabilizing treatment equivalent to any
hospital-based ER.
The STHS ERs at Weslaco and Mission
will feature:
• 14 private treatment rooms
• Emergency room trained physicians
and nurses
• Diagnostic imaging services: CT scans,
X-ray, ultrasound, bone density,
mammography
• 24-hour lab services
• Cardiopulmonary monitoring
• Respiratory treatments
• Intravenous medications and fluids
• Ambulance bay
• Direct admission to hospital bed, not
hospital ER
With diagnostic or lab appointments available
on a same-day, walk-in basis, patients can get
test results more quickly. An on-site pharmacy
allows patients to pick up medications without
having to make another stop on their way home.
“The STHS ERs are all about convenience and
bringing quality care closer to the growing
populations on both ends of our metro area,”
says Jason Chang, CEO of McAllen Heart
Hospital and an STHS ER project manager.
“As neighborhood emergency care centers
serving both local and seasonal residents,
the Weslaco and Mission ERs will provide a
convenient, comfortable atmosphere close
to home.”
Request an appointment with ER Reserve
When you need care for a minor illness or injury,
ER Reserve lets you request a time in any South
Texas Health System Emergency Room —
including the new ERs at Weslaco and Mission.
Use a computer, laptop, tablet or smart phone
to go to www.southtexashealthsystem.com
•See wait times in any one of the system’s
emergency rooms.
•Click ‘ER Reserve’ to request an appointment
for non-life-threatening illnesses and injuries.
You can make an appointment up to 12
hours in advance.
•Wait in the comfort of your own home until
it’s time to go
How is an ER
different from
an urgent care
or night clinic?
The freestanding ERs at Weslaco
and Mission are capable of treating
emergency medical conditions,
including heart attacks, strokes,
respiratory distress, head injuries,
abdominal pain and orthopedic
injuries. These conditions are beyond
the scope of treatment for most
urgent care centers or night clinics.
The STHS ERs at Weslaco and
Mission will be open 24 hours per
day, 365 days per year, whereas most
urgent care centers and clinics are
open just 8 to 16 hours per day. Also,
the Mission and Weslaco ERs are
both staffed with the same medical
personnel and equipped with the
same diagnostic technology available
in South Texas Health System’s
hospital-based emergency rooms.
The STHS ERs accept most types
of insurance. Some insurance plans
may not cover an ER visit if it is
deemed urgent care or may apply
a different copay. Please check your
covered benefits with your insurance
provider for details.
•On-site pharmacy
330 West Expressway 83
Weslaco, TX 78599
ER Reserve is not a guarantee that you will be
seen at your selected time. We will make every
effort to honor your request. ER Reserve should
be used only if you decide your care can wait
until the time you select. Do not wait if your
symptoms or conditions worsen or if you need
immediate care since delays may complicate
your condition. If you are unsure of your condition
or if your condition worsens, then please go
to the nearest emergency room or call 9-1-1.
ER Wait Time is an average provided for
informational purposes only.
www.southtexashealthsystem.com
3
How much do
YOU know
about COPD?
“We hear a lot about the risks of lung cancer, but less about a lung condition
that’s just as common and debilitating, known as COPD. As a leading cause
of death for both men and women, it’s critical to recognize this disease as
early as possible.” - Juan Marcos Chavez Paz, MD, Valley Pulmonary Group
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is
actually a combination of two kinds of lung disease:
emphysema and chronic obstructive bronchitis. Both
are caused by lung damage from smoking or exposure
to other lung irritants, such as asbestos. Other risk
factors include genetics, exposure to secondhand
smoke and having asthma and smoking. As lung
damage from COPD progresses, it gradually limits the
ability to take in oxygen.
“Unfortunately, lung damage from COPD cannot be
reversed,” says Federico Vallejo-Manzur, MD, with the
Valley Pulmonary Group. “All you can do is halt or slow
its progression. So the earlier you are diagnosed, the
more lung function you have to work with.”
Recognizing COPD symptoms
Early detection and medical treatment makes it easier
to manage COPD. While early COPD may not cause
noticeable symptoms, a pulmonary function test can
reveal abnormal breathing and wheezing when a
person exhales. Other COPD symptoms may include:
• Swollen ankles
• Sleep problems
• Increased fatigue and lack of energy
Treating COPD: There is help
“Although COPD can’t be cured, medical treatments
can ease symptoms, cut the risk of complications,
and improve your quality of life,” says Antonio de
Gorordo, MD, with the Valley Pulmonary Group. After
a diagnosis, it’s important to stop smoking, if you have
not yet quit. You should also protect yourself from
lung irritants at work, get annual flu vaccines, and talk
to your doctor about the pneumococcal vaccine to
prevent pneumonia.
Medications, such as bronchodilators and corticosteroids
can relieve symptoms, such as shortness of breath.
Lastly, oxygen therapy and lung surgery may help
patients with more advanced COPD. ■
Antonio De Gorordo
Arzamendi, MD, FCCP
Juan Marcos Chavez Paz,
MD
ARE YOU AT RISK FOR COPD? Take the quiz at
www.southtexashealthsystem.com/copd.
• Shortness of breath
• Frequent or worsening coughs
•Increase in mucus, also called phlegm, that is
produced in the lungs and coughed up
• Morning headaches or dizzy spells
4
South Texas Health System Health News
Federico Vallejo-Manzur,
MD, FCCP
Comprehensive, convenient cardiac care …
for Congestive Heart Failure.
At the new South Texas Advanced Cardiac Care (STACC) outpatient clinic, specialists are dedicated
to improving the health of patients in the Rio Grande Valley with congestive heart failure through
an innovative, evidence-based program.
Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a serious
and chronic condition that affects more
than five million Americans.* It’s not a
condition where the heart stops working,
but the heart’s pumping power is weaker
than normal. As a result, blood moves
through the heart and body at a slower
rate and the heart cannot pump enough
oxygen and nutrients to meet the
body’s needs.
Heart failure can be caused by conditions
that damage the heart muscle, including:
“Too often, CHF
patients need to be
readmitted to the
hospital after they
are discharged,” says
Ofsman Quintana,
MD, FACC, FSCAI,
leader of the clinic.
Ofsman E. Quintana,
“But CHF can be
MD, FACC, FSCAI
well managed when
The Heart Clinic
patients have access
to a coordinated, multidisciplinary program
of care that includes acute intervention,
education and follow-up care.”
• Coronary artery disease
• Heart attack
Coordinated care
• Cardiomyopathy
• High blood pressure
• Thyroid disease
• Kidney disease
• Diabetes
• Heart defects
Patients receive regular communication,
nursing care and physician intervention
to ensure compliance with medications
and lifestyle alterations. This involves
one-on-one education support, regular
phone calls, daily weight management,
medication education and regular visits
to medical providers.
A focus on early intervention
Patients also have access to diagnostic
imaging services, infusion and
telemedicine. Through telemedicine,
physicians will have the ability to monitor
patients’ weight and vitals from home,
allowing STACC providers to intervene
much earlier and prevent a potential
re-admission or ER visit.
“The clinic serves as a bridge for CHF
patients between hospital discharge
and follow-up appointments,” says Dr.
Quintana. “This kind of support can
help prevent readmission, and provides
patients with every opportunity to
improve their health.”
In the future, the clinic plans to broaden
its focus to treat other complex
cardiovascular conditions. ■
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
*
The goal of the new clinic, a joint effort
between McAllen Heart Hospital and
The Heart Clinic, is to focus on early
identification of patients at risk for CHF,
and to provide education and treatment
that enables both patients and families
to make appropriate decisions regarding
treatment and overall health.
For an appointment close to home, call 956-630-5522.
To learn more about heart disease and treatments available,
visit www.heartclinicpllc.com.
www.southtexashealthsystem.com
5
night in the surgical
His performance that
tion of the OR
suite caught the atten
rience motivated
Director, and the expe
rgical assistant.
Galaviz to become a su
s online, while
He continued his studie
him through his
physicians sponsored
iz would then assist
clinical rotations. Galav
to learn the
the surgeons after hours
working nights after
position. “It was hard
ut my reward was
a full day,” he says. “B
d from these great
the knowledge I gaine
came my friends.”
surgeons, who also be
y as a surgical
Galaviz worked privatel
ysician for nearly
assistant for a local ph
him the knowledge
two years, which gave
ense. Today he
to attain his nursing lic
rdiovascular
Home again
serves as Director of Ca
to
d
art Hospital. In
Galaviz wante
Surgery at McAllen He
While in San Antonio,
master’s degree
y to be close to
May 2014, he earned a
move back to the Valle
I
t
tha
t
working and
were upse
in business. “I’ve been
his family. “My parents
most of my adult
al rotations in San
attaining education for
did not finish my clinic
ted
es
gg
mom su
not have done
life,” he says. “I could
Antonio, so one day, my
d support of my
Medical Center
this without the love an
that I approach McAllen
s.
say
ucation,” he
wife, Angelita.”
about finishing my ed
A
ity nurse
s the son of a commun
xico,
in nearby Reynosa, Me
cinated
Joe Galaviz, 40, was fas
a
sion as young
with his mother’s profes
s in Mexico
boy. “Back then, nurse
and many people
accepted house calls,
at our home for
came to visit my mom
s.
advice or care,” he say
nursing was a
His mother’s passion for
d after graduating
powerful influence, an
Rio Grande Valley,
from high school in the
Antonio, Texas,
Galaviz moved to San
cal technology
where he studied surgi
ations at a hospital.
and began clinical rot
GET TO
KNOW
JOSE GALAVIZ, RN
Director of Cardiovascular Surgery
McAllen Heart Hospital
Shoot for
the stars and
you may reach
the sky.
6
South Texas Health System Health News
ge children —
The couple’s two teena
a — have learned
Sebastien and Gabriell
from their parents.
the value of hard work
‘you have to get
“I’ve always told them,
what you do’,” he
up every day and love
nership of what
says. “And take true ow
you are a part of!”
scular surgeon
s the same advice a va
wa
It
e
lif
his
d
before. “I will
A night that change
had given Galaviz years
l
ca
rgi
su
r
he told me about
ascula
always remember what
One night, the cardiov
lp
he says. “Shoot
technician to he
setting goals for myself,”
team needed a scrub
y reach the sky.”
open heart surgery,
for the stars, and you ma
during an emergency
ted to assist. “I felt
and Galaviz was recrui
sidelines for years,
like I had been on the
says. “Now, I was
watching the game,” he
to play.”
given the opportunity
could,” he
“I wanted to learn all I
rning all aspects
says. “I focused on lea
.” He graduated
of surgical technology
ool in 1994.
from surgical tech sch
ncy at McAllen
However, the only vaca
the sterile
Medical Center was in
t.
processing departmen
■
Wherever life takes you in the
Rio Grande Valley...
Valley Care Clinics offer comprehensive care to you and your family.
Jung Shin, PhD
Audiology
Martha Cano, MD
Family Medicine
Juan Castillo, MD
Family Medicine
Estela Cedillo, FNP
Family Medicine
Alberto Ruiz, MD
Family Medicine
Rolando Yarritu, MD
Family Medicine
Raven Chavez, PA-C
Certified Physician
Assistant
Margo Momplaisir
Family Nurse
Practitioner
Mandy Spears
Advanced Nurse
Practitioner
Sarah Rodriguez, MD
ENT/Otolaryngology
Carlos Zapata, MD
Gastroenterology
Maria Kintanar, MD
Hospitalist
Benjamin Fano, MD
Hospitalist
Christopher
Litchfield, MD
Hospitalist
Ricardo
Sobrevilla, MD
Hospitalist
Kashmira
Massani, MD
Hospitalist
Pablo Olmedo, MD
Hospitalist
Vladimir Semilla, MD
Hospitalist
Siraya Jaijakul, MD
Infectious Disease
Mourad
Alsabbagh, MD
Nephrology
Jaime Gasco, MD
Neurosurgery
Thiendella
Diagne, MD
OB/GYN
Daniel Lee, DO
OB/GYN
Neysan Bayat, MD
Plastic Surgery
Luis Reyes, MD
Surgery/
Bariatric Surgery
Jose Luciano
Farias, MD
Surgery/
Transplant Surgery
Steven Glorsky, MD
Trauma Surgery
Cynthia Salinas, MD
Trauma Surgery
Agustin Mego, MD
Hospitalist
Gabriel Diaz, MD
Neurology
Gaylan Holstein, MD
Psychiatry
Juan Rendon, MD
Trauma Surgery
Olga Olivares, MD
Hospitalist
Randy Williamson, MD
Neurology
Ernesto Garza, MD
Surgery/
Bariatric Surgery
Scott Berkman, MD
Urology
To make an appointment at any
of the Valley Care Clinics locations:
Call 855-VCC-APPT
Learn more at www.valleycareclinics.com
ALTON • EDINBURG • MISSION • MCALLEN • WESLACO • RIO GRANDE CITY
• FALFURRIAS 7
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PONTIAC, IL
c/o Marketing Department
1400 W. Trenton Road
Edinburg, TX 78539
Affordable Care Act Seminars
Are You Ready?
The Health Insurance Marketplace Is
Thursday, January 8
6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Edinburg Regional Medical Center
Texas Conference Room
1102 W. Trenton, Edinburg
956-388-6000
Open for Business!
Open Enrollment: Until February 15, 2015
Thursday, January 22 or February 5
6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
McAllen Heart Hospital
Conference Room
1900 S. “D” Street, McAllen
956-632-4024
People without health insurance can enroll for standardized coverage through new health
insurance marketplaces that are run by their state, the federal government, or a combination
of the two. The Health Insurance Marketplace – also known as Health Exchanges – is part of
the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
The Marketplace will help you find health insurance that fits your budget and meets your
needs, with less hassle. Go to www.HealthCare.gov to get started. Here you can get the
information you need to help you enroll. To learn more, attend one of the Affordable Care
Act seminars listed on the right.
Bilingual staff will be available to answer
questions and assist consumers with
scheduling appointments for assistance
in the enrollment process.
It’s Ea
sy
Enroll to
!
NOTE: If you have affordable insurance
through an employer or if you have coverage
through a government program such as
Medicare or Medicaid, you do not need to
apply for insurance through the Marketplace.
www.southtexashealthsystem.com
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HEALTH NEWS FROM SOUTH TEXAS HEALTH SYSTEM
Jose E. “Eddie” Saenz
Chairman, South Texas Health
System Board of Governors
Doug A. Matney
Group Vice President,
South Texas Health System
Elmo Lopez, Jr.
Chief Executive Officer,
McAllen Medical Center
Jennifer C. Garza
Chief Executive Officer,
Edinburg Regional Medical Center
Edinburg Children’s Hospital
Jason Chang
Chief Executive Officer,
McAllen Heart Hospital
HEALTH NEWS PHYSICIAN ADVISORY BOARD
Joe Rodriguez
Chief Executive Officer,
South Texas Behavioral Health Center
Roxanna Godinez
Chief Executive Officer,
Cornerstone Regional Hospital
Yuri Bermudez, MD
Family Practice, Chief of Medical Staff
Luis Padula, MD
Cardiologist
Suresh Ratnam, MD
Oncologist, Vice Chief of Staff
Rolando Yarritu, MD
Family Practice
Maria Camacho, MD
Pediatric Intensivist
Raul Marquez, MD
Orthopedic Surgeon
Cesar Matos, MD
Psychiatrist
Information in Health News comes from a wide range of
medical experts. If you have any concerns or questions about
specific content that may affect your health, please contact
your healthcare provider. Models may be used in photos or
illustrations. Any opinions expressed by an author whose
article appears in this publication are solely the opinions of
the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of South
Texas Health System or Universal Health Services, Inc.
Physicians mentioned in this publication are independent
practitioners who are not employees or agents of South
Texas Health System. The hospital shall not be liable for
actions or treatments provided by physicians. Cornerstone
Regional Hospital is co-owned with physician investors.
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