Health Watch Fall 2010 - Olympia Medical Center

OLYMPIA RANKED TOP 5% FOR EMERGENCY CARE IN THE NATION
Health
Watch
WHOOPING
COUGH
EPIDEMIC
WHEN
PARENTING
OUR PARENTS
IS THE BEST
OPTION
Time
Doesn’t
Heal All
Wounds!
Marla Gibbs
Knows
Page 2
In this issue:
NEW SURGICAL
TECHNOLOGY
OBESITY &
GALLSTONES
Award Winning Actress, Marla Gibbs
Award Winnning Actress, Marla Gibbs
A C O M M U N I T Y P U B L I C AT I O N O F O LY M P I A M E D I C A L C E N T E R
Olympia Medical Center is a Physician Owned Hospital
Dear Friends and Neighbors:
The winter holidays are a time to celebrate
all that we should be thankful for and not
take for granted. It’s also a time to renew
our commitment to our healthcare needs by
finding balance in our daily life, especially
during the upcoming holiday season. We
encourage you to stay active and stay healthy and seek
opportunities for fun and relaxation, which are an essential part
of living a well-balanced life.
For over 60 years, Olympia Medical Center has been proud
to serve as your community hospital. We continue to provide
our patients with the highest quality care, and by doing so, we
have been recognized by HealthGrades, a leading healthcare
ratings organization, providing ratings and profiles of hospitals,
and physicians, has ranked our hospital among the top 5% in
the nation for emergency care.
This award is truly an honor and we, in turn, recognize our
compassionate and dedicated staff, who have worked hard
to earn this award. It takes experience, coordination and
commitment to be able to achieve the efficiency that has
resulted in the short wait times that are available in our
hospital’s ER.
Health Watch
With this latest issue of our news magazine, Health Watch,
we are delighted to offer you valuable and useful health and
wellness recommendations. Inside you will learn about awardwinning actress Marla Gibbs, who talks about her wound that
was healed following hyperbaric oxygen treatment at our
Center for Wound Management and Hyperbaric Medicine.
John A. Calderone, Ph.D.
Chief Executive Officer
You will also find in this issue the latest news about the
whooping-cough epidemic in California. According to the
California Department of Public Health, the State is reporting
the highest rate of cases in over 60 years. Find out who needs
to be vaccinated or re-vaccinated. Your health is our priority
and preventive care is an important measure to be taken to
stop diseases before symptoms occur.
James H. Peace, M.D.
Chief of Staff
We are dedicated to serving your healthcare needs with
respect, dignity, and compassion, and pride ourselves on
delivering quality medical services from our board certified
physicians, experienced staff and community volunteers.
Health Watch is published by the Marketing Department
of Olympia Medical Center. Information in Health Watch
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 Olympia Medical Center.
Physicians mentioned in this publication are independent
practitioners who are not employees or agents of Olympia
Medical Center. The hospital shall not be liable for actions or
treatments provided by physicians.
On behalf of our physicians, nurses and staff, we wish you and
your family a wonderful and prosperous New Year. We look
forward to bringing you more medical information to help guide
you to a happy and healthy 2011.
Sincerely,
Michael Soffer, M.D.
Chairman, Governing Board
Steven Rosenthal
Editor
Olympia Medical Center is a physician owned hospital.
John A. Calderone, Ph.D.
Chief Executive Officer
© 2010 All rights reserved. Printed in the USA.
Olympia Medical Center Ranked
Top 5%
For Emergency Care
In The Nation
ONLY 26 HOSPITALS IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA WERE
RECOGNIZED FOR THESE SUPERIOR PATIENT OUTCOMES
Olympia Medical Center’s emergency medical care has been found
to be among the top 5 percent in the nation, according to a new
study released by HealthGrades, a leading independent healthcare
ratings organization. Olympia Medical Center is a recipient of the
HealthGrades 2010 Emergency Medicine Excellence Award.
Those residing in our hospital’s neighboring
communities should feel extremely confident
that, should an emergency arise, they will
receive top-notch care at Olympia Medical
Center.
Of the 4,900 hospitals examined, only 255 hospitals received this
award. No hospital can decide to be part of this survey nor can they
determine that they do not want to be rated. No hospital pays to be
rated!
“There is no place like the Emergency Room in terms of dynamics,
demands, expectations and even drama,” according to John Calderone,
hospital CEO. “For our emergency department to receive this level of
recognition for their accomplishments is truly wonderful to see because
they certainly deserve it.”
“Many people have no idea how difficult it can be to work in the ER
environment until they actually spend time there either as a caregiver or
a patient,” says Megan Clark, Emergency Room Director.
“This is a true
testament to the
great work that
our physicians,
practitioners
and employees
do every day in
our emergency
room,” says John
Calderone, the
hospital’s Chief
Executive Officer.
The hospital’s emergency room is staffed 24 hours a day with physicians
experienced in emergency medicine. Since 50 percent of hospital
admissions are now beginning with emergency room visits, it’s more
important than ever for hospitals to reach the level of excellence
achieved by our hospital’s emergency care.
1
”My Wound Is Fully Healed”
Multi-award winning film and television
actress,MarlaGibbs,isacomedienne,game
show panelist and singer with numerous
roles credited to her name.
Marla Gibbs was treated at the Olympia Center for Wound
Management & Hyperbaric Medicine recently and was
healed by the highly skilled group of physicians in 8
weeks—just in time to make it to the “Jeffersons” reunion
show on “Good Morning America.” Marla was treated with
aggressive wound care and also underwent adjunctive
hyperbaric oxygen therapy for a persistent wound infection.
At Olympia Medical Center, our approach is not to just
treat the wound area, but to treat the whole system and to
manage or rid the primary cause of the wound.
Marla Gibbs
Award Winning Actress
“I have two loves in my life, my family
and acting. But after a wound on my
leg wouldn’t heal, I was really worried.
The Olympia wound care physicians
understood my fear of not being able
to meet my acting commitments. Today,
thanks to their dedicated team of wound
specialists, my wound is fully healed.
And I am back with my family and to the
work I love.”
According to Dr. Babak Dadvand, Medical Director of the
Center, “To properly heal a wound, we need to know
what caused the wound. These causes can be pressure
on a wound, bad nutrition, diabetes, post radiation
complications, low blood flow or infection.”
Some patients that are diabetic, risk an amputation of their
lower extremities when they ignore the common signs of
infection and the loss of sensation in their feet. When seen
early enough, we can prevent an amputation and save the
patient’s limb.
We have seen patients at the Center that
have had wounds for 9 years and healed
them in less than 16 weeks.
The hyperbaric chamber is an essential element in the healing of wounds. At the Center for Wound
Management and Hyperbaric Medicine we know that time doesn’t always heal all wounds. If you or a
loved one has an open wound, please contact the Olympia Center for Wound Management and Hyperbaric
Medicine today at (323) 932-5922.
2
“Typically, the underlying philosophy about geriatrics is: as you get
older, although all your systems continue to work, your functional
capacity goes down.” Robert Wang, Ph.D., M.D.
Do you feel or experience a change
in functional status in a loved
one with no obvious medical
explanation (like having pneumonia
or heart problems)? Then, it might
be time for a geriatric assessment.
The Center offers
a multidisciplinary
geriatric assessment
including nursing,
physical therapy,
internal medicine,
psychiatric medicine,
geriatrics, neurology
and an array of medical
consultants. There is
no need to travel from
doctor-to-doctor for
your diagnosis and
treatment.
“We look at the patient
as a “whole” and
review all the factors
that affect functions,”
says Medical Director,
Robert Wang, Ph.D.,
M.D. “We examine how
the factors interact, so
we can put together a supportive treatment plan.”
When a patient starts failing or begins to lose
functionality, or has multiple medical conditions,
then the parent-child relationship may no longer
be the same. In a commonplace parent and child
relationship, the parent is used to caring for the
child, who is dependent on the parent.
However, if the parent now has some cognitive
issues and is no longer able to make sound
judgments, then, in a way, the child has to start
taking care of the parent.
The phrase that we
use in geriatrics is
that you end up
parenting your
parent.
Instead of the patient
potentially being
referred to five
different offices to
get various kinds of
assessments --- we
are able to diagnose
and treat a patient
more efficiently, and
in a more coordinated
fashion --- in a onestop environment
where we can be
most helpful.
For additional help, Olympia has become a
participating partner with the Leeza Gibbons
Memory foundation which offers support groups,
classes and resources for patients, their families and
caregivers at Leeza’s Place. For more information
call (323) 932-5414.
Part of what we do at the Center for Geriatric
Health is simply keep family members on track to
understand that they are, in fact, doing the right
thing. For more information call the Center for
Geriatric Health at (323) 932-5333.
3
Keeping our patients in mind, the hospital decided to simplify the patientflow so that the patient would experience a smooth transition from admitting
to discharge. To accomplish this, the admission, registration, pre-op, surgery,
recovery and the discharge processes have been located on the same floor
for maximum efficiency.
Surgical Pavilion
We were determined that from the
minute you entered the hospital,
everything would be centralized in
one place, on one floor, so you would
not have to travel up and down the
elevators. In addition, once patients
have recovered, and are scheduled to return home, they also get discharged from the same floor -- another
benefit of the redesign of the surgery program.
Outpatient Surgery
“Since surgery is an anxiety provoking event anyway, the goal is to make people as comfortable as
possible. And, by having a very comprehensive and tailor made surgical solution to each patient’s condition,
we can accomplish that. Our physicians and nurses are focused on making sure the environment and the
patient’s experience is a good one,” says Chief of Surgery, Mark Ganjianpour, M.D.
Olympia Medical Center
has seen a significant
increase in the volume
of surgeries. John
Calderone, Olympia’s
CEO, attributes the
growth of surgical
procedures to customer
service.
“We listen to individual
family members and
what is important to
them, not just from the
patient’s point of view,
but from their family
and friends.”
PATIENT-CENTRIC
SURGICAL SUITE
Today, the surgical pavilion is an all inclusive environment, according to Angela Sidney, Director of
Perioperative Services. Patients are brought into the surgical pavilion and all their related surgical needs
are provided. Family members can also wait in the same area. With the close proximity to the surgical area,
the newly redesigned waiting room makes it easy for surgeons to stop by and talk to the family as well.
The new discharge area is also conveniently located next to surgical services. As the patient is preparing to
go home, the patient and family are given discharge instructions and information for follow-up care. For
more information about our Outpatient Surgery program contact Central Scheduling at (323) 932-7000.
4
Pioneering O
Surgical
Technology
ver 300,000
people per
year in the US have
surgery to alleviate
lower back pain,
numbness, tingling or
weakness in the back
and legs.
Olympia Medical Center has piloted a new advancement in
surgical technology with innovator, Baxano, Inc.™ known as
the iO-Flex™ System, which uses unique surgical instruments
for a minimally invasive procedure to take the pressure
off (decompress) the affected nerves. Olympia Medical
Center’s board certified surgeons, Sam Bakshian, M.D.,
and Carl Lauryssen, M.D., are the first to use this unique
procedure in Los Angeles.
“I can
now live
my life
again.”
Dr. Bakshian uses the new
surgical technology as a tool for
decompression surgery to access
and relieve compressed spinal
nerves which previously could
not be addressed without further
destabilization of the spine.
OLYMPIA
SPINE SURGEONS
PIONEER
NEW BACK
TREATMENT
Sally, 64, is an iO-Flex patient of
Dr. Bakshian. She recalls the last
10 days on a cruise ship when
there was significant paralysis
in her right lower leg. As Sally
sees it, “I have no idea what Dr.
Bakshian did to my back. All I
know is that he used the latest
surgical methods and I can now
live my life again.”
Dr. Bakshian specializes in the
surgical and non-surgical management of disorders of the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine as well as
the complex reconstruction of the spine. Dr. Lauryssen has twice been awarded the Young Investigator
Award from the American Association of Neurological Surgeons for his work on cervical disorders and stem
cell research. Dr. Bakshian and Dr. Lauryssen both perform minimally invasive spinal procedures at Olympia
Medical Center. To contact Sam Bakshian, M.D., or Carl Lauryssen, M.D., please call (310) 855-0751.
5
TheWhoopingCoughReturns:
INCALIFORNIAIT’SANEPIDEMIC
New Parents, Pregnant
Women And Even
GrandparentsWho
Will Be Around
InfantsNeedToGet
Vaccinated!
Whooping Cough is a preventable
disease and infants, in particular, are
at risk for this disease. We recommend
that you talk to your physician about a
vaccination, if you plan to be around
infants and children.
According to Michael Soffer, M.D., Olympia
Medical Center’s Board Chairman, “Symptoms
of one pulmonary or lung disease are common
to many other pulmonary diseases, whether
its coughing or wheezing, shortness of breath,
chest discomfort or mucous production – the
cardinal symptoms of all lung diseases. It’s
very difficult for a person to be able to discern
between diseases based on those symptoms.
So where an asthmatic may only have a cough,
a person with pneumonia may only have
shortness of breath. It’s very difficult for the
public to discern between the symptoms and
which disease it is. Therefore, it is important to
consult a physician.”
Olympia Medical Center has a team of board
certified pulmonary specialists including Ashraf
Elsayegh, M.D., Omar Tirmizi, M.D., Ali Ansari,
M.D., Abraham Ishaaya, M.D. and Michael
Soffer, M.D. For more information call (310)
657-5900 or visit www.olympiamc.com and
click on “Find a Physician.”
6
W
hooping cough — known as pertussis among
doctors — is a highly contagious respiratory
tract infection. Although it initially resembles an
ordinary cold, whooping cough may eventually
turn more serious, particularly in infants. Whooping
cough is most contagious before the coughing starts.
The best way to prevent it is through vaccinations.
There is a childhood vaccine and a whooping
cough booster vaccine for adolescents and adults.
Both protect against whooping cough, tetanus, and
diphtheria.
According to the California Department of Public
Health (CDPH), there have been a number of
deaths, due to pertussis, especially infants. The
problem is that infants are so susceptible to the
bacterium because they do not get vaccinated until
they are several months old when their system can
respond. All of us get vaccinated as children, but
the immunity diminishes over time. Until recently,
adults have not been revaccinated. Meanwhile,
new whooping cough cases showed up, apparently
because some adults’ immunity from their childhood
vaccination diminished, and they began to get sick
and spread the disease. A history of immunization
does not preclude the possibility of pertussis.
All adults who will be exposed to infants, including
new parents, pregnant women and even those who
are grandparents, who will be around infants, need
to get vaccinated. It is recommended that all adults
get vaccinated against pertussis.
Pertussis starts with mild cold-like upper respiratory
symptoms. In children, adolescents and adults, there
is typically a progression to the cough. Coughing
may be followed by an inspiratory whoop or
vomiting. Fever is minimal or none.
Some older patients have typical pertussis symptoms,
but others have a non-specific cough illness that may
be difficult to distinguish from bronchitis or asthma.
Adolescents and adults may report a choking
sensation and sweating episodes. Complications
include syncope, sleep disturbance, incontinence, rib
fractures and pneumonia. Patients typically appear
well when not coughing and may have normal
physical findings and complete blood counts.
O
besity and Gallstone Disease
Gallstone disease affects 20% of the people
over the age of 65 and there are approximately
one million cases of gallstones diagnosed each year
in the United States.
Gallstones can occur anywhere within the network
of ducts branching through the liver, and includes
the gallbladder and the common bile duct. These
long tube-like structures carry fluids required for the
digestion of food. The fluids (bile) are stored in the
gallbladder, and upon eating, are discharged into
the small intestine. Any blockage in the duct system
that transports, stores and releases bile can result
in an obstruction. Gallstones are the most common
cause of biliary obstruction.
“Symptoms may include right upper
quadrant abdominal pain (which may
radiate to the right shoulder blade),
or pain between the shoulder blades,
jaundice, fever, nausea, vomiting,
early satiety, and/or belching.”
Mehrdad Vosoghi, M.D., Board Certified Physician
California Digestive Diseases Institute
Obstruction of the common bile duct by gallstones
is treated by a procedure called ERCP, (Endoscopic
Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography). This is a
specialized procedure that is used to study the ducts
of the gall bladder, pancreas, and liver.
By using the ERCP technique, the doctors at the
California Digestive Diseases Institute (CDDI) of
Olympia Medical Center, can relieve obstruction in
the bile ducts caused by gallstones.
Persons with obesity, Hispanic origin
or northern European origin have a
higher risk of gallstones than other
population sub-groups. Women
are much more likely to develop
gallstones than men.
Other tests to diagnose and evaluate gallstone
disorders include endoscopic ultrasound (EUS). This
procedure combines endoscopy with ultrasound.
Because the EUS transducer can get close to the
gallbladder and bile ducts, the images obtained
with EUS can be more accurate and detailed than
images provided by traditional imaging.
CDDI provides medical excellence in the care of
pancreatic, liver and biliary diseases, utilizing stateof-the-art technology in the most efficient, costeffective and compassionate manner.
For more information contact the California
Digestive Diseases Institute at (310) 556-7747.
7
WHAT’S NEWS FROM OLYMPIA
Center for Disease Control
(CDC) Recommends
Pneumonia Vaccine for
Adults
All adults who smoke cigarettes or have asthma
should be vaccinated against pneumonia,
according to newly updated recommendations
for the vaccine.
Adults age 65 years or older should also receive
the vaccine, says the CDC. Also targeted for
vaccination are adults under age 65 with specific
medical conditions, including chronic heart, lung
or liver disease, diabetes mellitus, alcoholism, or
a compromised immune system.
The overall incidence of invasive pneumonia in
the United States has declined since the routine
use of the pneumonia vaccine for young children,
according to the CDC, but an increasing number
of adults with invasive pneumonia have a “highrisk” underlying condition.
A surveillance study by the CDC indicates that
cigarette smokers and people with asthma are at
increased risk for invasive pneumonia.
Anyone who received the vaccination before age
65 should receive a second dose at age 65 or
later, as long as five years have passed since the
previous dose. Revaccination is not otherwise
recommended, except for patients without
a functioning spleen and those with specific
conditions that suppress the immune system.
This group includes patients with HIV infection,
certain cancers, solid-organ transplant recipients
and those receiving long-term treatment with
immunosuppressive drugs.
Revaccination, when indicated, should be
done once and should occur five years after
the initial dose in patients under age 65
years, according to the CDC.
8
WHAT ACTIONS CAN I TAKE TO
PROTECT MYSELF AND MY FAMILY
AGAINST THE FLU THIS SEASON?
The Center for Disease Control recommends
a yearly flu vaccine as the first and most
important step in protecting against this
serious disease. While there are many
different flu viruses, the flu vaccine protects
against the three main flu strains that
research indicates will cause the most illness
during the flu season.
In addition, you can take everyday preventive
steps like staying away from sick people and
washing your hands to reduce the spread
of germs. If you are sick with flu, stay home
from work or school to prevent spreading
influenza to others.
CT Bone Mineral Studies Available at
Olympia Medical Center
Early detection of alterations in mineral content
of the skeletal system has always been a difficult
problem. Changes in bone density due to
natural progression of disease or as a result of
a therapeutic regimen could not be followed by
any sensitive method. An accurate, rapid method
of quantification of bone density determination
has long been sought. The bone mineral study is
used for diagnosing osteoporosis. The exam will
calculate the amount of calcium in the bones and
compare it to a normal amount at one’s age. In
doing so, your doctor is able to determine if you
are at risk for osteoporosis.
OLYMPIA MEDICAL CENTER GOES GREEN
WITH SOLAR AND SAVES UP TO 4,000 TREES
Hospital Installs State-of-the Art Solar
System for Olympia’s Medical Office Building
By going green, Olympia’s solar solution has
reduced its electrical consumption and in some
cases produces more electricity than the office
building consumes. The solar system sits on the
roof of the medical building and is designed to
track and follow the sun.
FIND A PHYSICIAN
at
www.olympiamc.com
The following Information
can be accessed from
our website:
Our Physicians
Programs and Services
Patient Information
Careers
Community Programs
Volunteer Opportunities
eMail Patient eCard
MAIN HOSPITAL
Telephone
(310) 657-5900
Continent Ostomy
Center
(800) 677-5252
Los Angeles Center for
Spine Care and Research
(866) 517-7463
24/7 Emergency Services
(323) 932-5105
Center for Wound Management
and Hyperbaric Medicine
(323) 932-5922
Physical Therapy/
Rehabilitation
(323) 932-5086
Los Angeles Center for
Spine Care and Research
(866) 517-7463
Southern California
Sports Medicine Institute
(866) 315-CURE (2873)
Reflections – Outpatient
Mental Health Program
for Adults and Seniors
(323) 932-5980
Leeza’s Place
Community Wellness
Activities
(323) 932-5414
California Digestive
Diseases Institute
(310) 556-7747
Center for Geriatric Health
(323) 932-5333
Diabetes Support Group
(323) 932-5970
PRESORTED STD
US POSTAGE
PAID
LOS ANGELES, CA
PERMIT NO.2251
Treating People Well
5900 West Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036
www.olympiamc.com
COMMUNITY EDUCATION & WELLNESS ACTIVITIES
Board of
Governors
Chairman
Michael J. Soffer, M.D.
Vice-Chair
David D. Wexler, Esq.
Chief of Staff
James H. Peace, M.D.
Chief Executive Officer
and Secretary
John A. Calderone, Ph.D.
Board Members:
Andrew G. Berman, M.D.
Judith Boasberg
Stephen C. Deutsch, M.D.
Howard Kaplan
Charles Kim
Arthur N. Lurvey, M.D.
Patricia Miller
Shahram Ravan, M.D.
Stephen E. Reissman
Linda Roberts
Mark Vogel, M.D.
Betty R. Wilson
The following activities are offered through and held at Leeza’s Place at the Olympia Medical Office
Building, 5901 W. Olympic Blvd., Suite 300A, Los Angeles, CA 90036 (unless noted in green). For more
information visit: www.olympiamc.com or call (323) 932-5414.
The following activities at Leeza’s Place are provided
by Olympia Medical Center in partnership with
The Leeza Gibbons Memory Foundation.
BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT GROUP
2nd and 4th Tuesdays: 10:30 AM - Noon
LGBT BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT GROUP
(Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual, Transgender)
Led by Barbara Hament, L.C.S.W., & Yael Wyte,
M.S.W. Please call (323) 932-5414 for schedule.
PARKINSON’S SUPPORT GROUP
4th Monday: 1:00 PM - 1:45 PM “Chair Yoga,”
1:45 PM - 2:45 PM. Led by Linda O’Conner,
L.C.S.W. & Yael Wyte, M.S.W.
CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUP
(People Caring for People with Memory Loss)
1st and 3rd Mondays: 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM. 1st
and 3rd Wednesdays: 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM.
Led by Yael Wyte, M.S.W.
EARLY STAGE MEMORY LOSS SUPPORT GROUP
Thursdays: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM. Led by Jay
Smith and Janie Michaels Grauman, L.C.S.W. Call
(323) 932-5414 for more detailed information.
GAY & LESBIAN CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUP
1st and 3rd Thursdays: 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM. Led
by Barbara Hament, L.C.S.W. & Yael Wyte,
M.S.W.
SUDOKU
3rd Tuesday 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
CCFA SUPPORT GROUP
(Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America
– Greater Los Angeles Chapter)
3rd Monday: 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM. Led by Tillie
Huber, R.N./C.D.A.C., Program Coordinator,
Continent Ostomy Center at Olympia Medical
Center. This group meets at the CCFA Chapter
Office, 1640 S. Sepulveda Blvd., Suite 214,
Los Angeles, CA 90025. Reservations and
information: (800) 677-5252.
DIABETES SUPPORT GROUP
2nd Thursday: 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM.
Led by Andrew G. Berman, M.D and
community volunteer, Diane McWhorter,
M.S.N., F.N.P., C.D.E.. This group meets at the
Olympia Medical Center Pavilion Conference
Room, 1st floor. Reservations and information:
(323) 932-5970.