Half a century of service

texoma
HEALTH NEWS from
SPRING 2015
MEDICAL CENTER
Half a century
of service
Texoma Medical Center
celebrates its 50th anniversary
WEIGHT LOSS THAT WORKS
It’s a matter of finding what’s right for you
EKOS® TO THE RESCUE
Blood clot-busting technology helps local ranch owner
50th ANNIVERSARY
COMPL
IMENTS
OF
OM TH
INFTRH
IS ISS E
UE
CEO
IN THIS ISSUE
4
WEIGHT LOSS
THAT WORKS
Finding the right plan
for you
6
HALF A CENTURY
OF SERVICE
TMC has progressed
along with medicine itself
9
EKOS® TO
THE RESCUE
An ultrasound system
helps Rod Reichert
catch his breath
11
Arriving at our 50th anniversary is an exciting
time for Texoma Medical Center. We’ve come
a long way since we opened our doors in 1965,
growing from a small community hospital
into a 288-bed regional medical center. While
we’ve seen many changes over the years,
some things have remained unchanged – our
continued commitment to quality and growth.
As advancements in medicine are made and
healthcare needs grow, you can count on
TMC to be innovative, bringing new technology, procedures, specialties
and services to Texoma.
In this Health News, you’ll have an opportunity to learn about our
history and read about recent developments at TMC. Topping the list
is a new disinfection system that works with ultraviolet-C light to attain
optimum sanitation in our facility. You’ll meet a patient who regained
her health and successfully lost 100 pounds, and another patient
who underwent a procedure, only recently approved for pulmonary
applications, which dissolved blood clots in his lungs. His successful
recovery is a testament to the dedication and skill of every member
of the staff at Texoma Medical Center.
We’re honored to have served you and your family for the past 50 years,
and we look forward to continuing to provide residents of North Texas
and Southern Oklahoma with quality healthcare for many more.
SENIOR
ADVANTAGE NEWS
What is an advance directive?
On the cover: Celebrating Texoma
Medical Center’s 50 years are from left
to right, Dayna Markham, RN, TMC’s
Nurse of the Year; Ron Seal, CEO; Elia
Paz, TMC Service Excellence Shining
Star Spotlight Winner; Scott Turner,
DO, FACC, Interventional Cardiologist
and Chief of Staff; and Sherry Simmons,
President, TMC Volunteers.
Ronald T. Seal
Chief Executive Officer
Texoma Medical Center
Save the date! Join us for Mommy’s Day Out
Saturday, May 2, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Texoma Event Center at the Hilton Garden Inn
Texoma Medical Center is setting aside a day just for women and mothersto-be. Relax, enjoy refreshments and be thoroughly entertained by a mom
and kids’ fashion show and lots of shopping opportunities. We’re offering free
health information, and the chance to go home with a door prize.
To learn more about all the women’s services available at TMC,
visit www.texomamedicalcenter.net.
2
www.texomamedicalcenter.net
Keeping score
Preventing heart disease, often caused by
a buildup of fatty substances called plaque
inside the walls of the arteries leading to
the heart, can begin with calcium scoring.
$9l9cium scores
ca
t AMI
a
C
Chuck R. Phelps II, MD
Radiologist
oronary artery calcium scoring is a non-invasive
test performed using computed tomography, also
known as a CT scan. The scan takes multiple, crosssectional images of the inside of the body that reveal
minute details about the organs, bones, soft tissues and
blood vessels. One of the things that can be seen is
the amount of calcified plaque in the coronary arteries.
Physicians measure the plaque and assign it a score,
which can determine whether it is a threat to health.
What services
are available at
TMC Advanced
Medical Imaging?
When plaque in the arteries hardens or calcifies, it signals
the presence of atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease (CAD). Over time,
the plaque can build up, narrowing the arteries and sometimes closing them off
completely, resulting in chest pain or a heart attack. “This test is most beneficial
for those who are at intermediate risk for CAD, such as people over age 55 who
smoke or have high blood pressure,” says Chuck R. Phelps II, MD, Radiologist,
TMC Advanced Medical Imaging.
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
Dr. Phelps explains that the computer helps the physicians pick out plaque in
various key areas, and a score is applied to each area. A total is calculated and
assigned a number, and considered along with a patient’s medical history to
produce a recommendation. “Someone whose dad had a heart attack but has a
low calcium score might be simply watched and advised to modify their lifestyle,”
says Dr. Phelps. “A high score might call for a cardiac catheterization or a nuclear
medicine study.”
• Calcium scoring
• Computed Tomography (CT) scans
• HD Ultrasound
• Fluoroscopy
• Digital X-rays
• Full body scans
• Breast MRI
Visit TMC Advanced Medical
Imaging at 2622 US Highway
75 N. in Sherman. To make an
appointment, call 903.416.3730.
Adding that calcium scoring is helpful to check the progress of a patient so that
medication or treatment can be adjusted accordingly, Dr. Phelps says the process
also provides detailed views of structures adjacent to the heart and can sometimes
pick up previously undetected problems. Another benefit that’s valuable to the
majority of patients who undergo calcium scoring is less tangible but equally
important. “It helps give patients peace of mind,” says Dr. Phelps. ■
www.texomamedicalcenter.net
3
Weight Loss
THAT WORKS
Finding the right plan involves
weighing diet, lifestyle
and genetics. ➤
Individual results
may vary. There are
risks associated
with any surgical
procedure. Talk with
your doctor about
these risks to find out
if bariatric surgery is
right for you.
4
www.texomamedicalcenter.net
“I’ve lost over 100 lbs.!”
— Amber Sadler,
TMC Weight-Loss Surgery Patient
Daniel Flaming, MD, Family Medicine Physician and
Weight-Loss Management Specialist with TexomaCare
– Van Alstyne, doesn’t mince words. He says to lose
weight, you have to cut calories, plain and simple.
But the “how” is not the same for everyone. “You
have to pinpoint the method that works for the
Daniel Flaming, MD
Family Medicine
Physician, WeightLoss Management
Specialist
patient,” he says, “and it’s different for each one.”
Below, Dr. Flaming outlines a weight management
program, which has helped countless patients start
a new, healthier phase of their lives.
You need a reason to lose
Exercise is a must
Dr. Flaming starts with a detailed history
on each patient, including what has
worked and what the biggest obstacles
to losing weight have been. Together,
he and the patient develop a specific
reason to lose weight, which he says
serves as a “touchstone” to go back to
if the patient starts to struggle. When
deciding on a reason, Dr. Flaming says,
“The more personal it is, the better.”
According to the National Weight
Control Registry, which is a database
that tracks the habits of people who
have successfully lost weight, 90 percent
maintained the loss by exercising one
hour most days of the week. “That’s
an appropriate amount for an exercise
activity such as fast walking,” says Dr.
Flaming. “If you run, you can cut that
time in half.”
Set realistic expectations
The best habit to develop
In general, patients have high goals
about how much weight they want to
lose. Dr. Flaming notes that many people
are able to lose weight with diets and
weight-loss medications, but they’re not
able to keep the weight off. “Sometimes
you have to reset your goals,” he says.
“If you lose 10 percent of your weight
and keep it off for a year, consider
that successful.”
The habit that’s most important for
patients to develop if they want weight
loss to be successful is self-monitoring.
Dr. Flaming suggests getting on the
scale every week, tracking calorie intake
and writing down the results. This can
also initiate weight loss. “People have to
be ready to change,” says Dr. Flaming.
“They have to get to the point where
staying the same isn’t a choice.”
Lower your carb intake
Surgery may be an option
After issuing warnings about too much
fat in diets for 30 years and seeing
Americans get heavier, experts are now
saying that fats may not be the problem.
Refined carbohydrates such as white
flour, pasta and cookies, may be a bigger
issue because they signal the body to
gain rather than lose weight. “Eggs are
good because they’re high in protein
and low in carbs,” says Dr. Flaming.
“Eating the rainbow – vegetables of
different colors – is also good.”
Only a consideration for people with a
body mass index (BMI) higher than 40, or
higher than 35 with disorders related to
obesity, weight-loss surgery is an option
Dr. Flaming discusses with his patients.
“After trying other methods of weight
loss, some people have a preference
for surgery,” says Dr. Flaming. “It may
be the best choice if a patient has a
lot to lose and he or she has diseases
related to obesity, such as high blood
pressure or diabetes.” ■
“I’m the person I
should have been
a long time ago.”
Amber Sadler chooses a
surgical path to better health.
Happy-go-lucky Amber Sadler, 29,
gradually stopped doing the things she
loved as her weight increased through
her 20s. She says she became “unhappy
inside” when she saw little results after
trying diet upon diet. There are diabetes
and high blood pressure in her family as
well, and Sadler was high-risk for both.
She decided to change her future and
underwent gastric sleeve surgery at
Texoma Medical Center in February
2013. Two years later, Sadler says she
feels “wonderful.” She stays active and
makes healthier food choices than
she used to. “Now, I feel like ‘me’
inside and out,” says Sadler.
“I’m a brand new person.”
To learn more about obesity and calculate your body mass index (BMI),
visit www.texomamedicalcenter.net/weightloss.
www.texomamedicalcenter.net
5
Half a century of service
Texoma Medical Center is proud to continue a tradition of quality
healthcare started 50 years ago … and to celebrate its alignment
with 21st-century science.
I
n 1965, when Texoma Medical Center opened its doors as Memorial Hospital
of Denison, the area’s population was smaller and medical technology was in
its youth. Things have certainly changed. Through many stages of innovation
and progress over the last 50 years, the hospital has offered patients and
residents high quality and technologically advanced care.
50th ANNIVERSARY
With life-saving medical procedures and quality healthcare, local residents are
able to take advantage of sophisticated capabilities enhanced by a compassionate
and caring staff. Hospital services include advanced technology such as robotic
surgery; the latest innovations in imaging equipment for faster, clearer diagnoses;
and specialized service areas such as a pediatric unit, sleep lab, Center for Wound
Healing and Hyperbaric Medicine, Diabetes LifeCenter, Level III Trauma Center,
Behavioral Health Center and the Breast Care Center. An affiliation with TexomaCare
also makes available a group of 48 physicians providing services from family
medicine to cardiology.
TMC’s achievements are a matter of record. The hospital is Joint Commission
accredited, certified as a Primary Stroke Center, an accredited Chest Pain Center,
a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence and a nationally accredited Bariatric Center.
Even more telling, TMC has been selected seven times as “Best Hospital” in the
Herald Democrat’s Best of Texoma Reader’s Poll, a distinction Texoma residents
and TMC patients decide for themselves.
6
1965
1966
1976
1978
1989
1995
1997
1999
Memorial
Hospital opens.
TMC Auxiliary
is organized.
Memorial Hospital
changes its name
to Texoma Medical
Center to reflect
its area focus.
TMC expands by
over 57,000
feet, adding a
40-bed medical/
surgical unit.
First open-heart
surgery procedure
performed at TMC.
TMC Behavioral
Health Center opens.
Sleep lab at
TMC opens.
Level III
Trauma Center
Designation.
www.texomamedicalcenter.net
Reba McEntire
Center for
Rehabilitation opens.
2007
2008
2009
2010
2012
UHS subsidiary
acquires
Texoma
Medical Center.
Officials
break ground
on the
new TMC.
The new
Texoma Medical
Center welcomes
first patients.
Opens TMC
Center for
Wound Healing
and Hyperbaric
Medicine.
Introduces da Vinci
robotic surgery;
Acquires Advanced
Medical Imaging.
™
Named Top
Performer on Key
Quality Measures®
for 2011.
2013
2014
2015
TMC Breast Care
Center opens.
Bariatric Program
accredited by the Metabolic
and Bariatric Surgery
Accreditation and Quality
Improvement Program.
Construction on
eighth floor expected
to be complete in
early spring, bringing
TMC’s total bed
count to 326.
Seventh floor opens,
adding 38 beds.
Named Top Performer
on Key Quality
Measures® for 2012.
Accredited as a Chest
Pain Center with PCI.
Accredited as a Breast
Imaging Center of
Excellence.
Eighth floor expansion
to add 38 beds begins.
www.texomamedicalcenter.net
7
Intensive Outpatient Program
TAKE THE NEXT STEP TOWARD RECOVERY
You’ve put a lot of work into your recovery. The TMC Behavioral Health
Center (BHC) offers the Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) to help you
continue your progress with convenient group therapy and support.
AN EVIDENCE-BASED, GROUP FOCUS
The group process is a very effective treatment strategy that can help
you develop interpersonal and problem-solving skills.
The BHC focuses on two, evidence-based therapy models to help
you learn new techniques and to be in better control of your behavior:
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) shows you the important role
your thoughts play in how you feel and what you do.
• Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) focuses on mindfulness,
and helps you regulate emotions and tolerate distress.
HOW THE IOP WORKS
The IOP program takes place
Monday through Friday from
8:45 a.m. to Noon.
• We begin at 8:45 a.m.
• Transportation can be arranged.
• Three group sessions each
day; 10 minute break between
each session.
• Lunch is provided after the
last session of the day.
• Lockers are provided to
secure belongings.
TREATMENT AREAS
The IOP helps adults age 18 and over to manage:
•Depression
•Family and Relationships
•Anxiety
• Stress Management
• Substance Abuse
•Self-Esteem
• Grief and Loss
•Post-Traumatic Stress
•Senior Adult Life Transitions
To register for the TMC BHC Intensive Outpatient Program,
call 903.416.3000, ext 3062
8
www.texomamedicalcenter.net
2601 Cornerstone Drive
Sherman, TX 75092
www.tmcbehavioralhealth.com
EKOS® GALLOPS TO THE RESCUE
Bucked from a horse during a leisurely ride in May 2014, businessman and
ranch owner Rod Reichert was diagnosed with blood clots in his legs and lungs,
as well as left side rib fractures and fluid around the lung. He was treated with
the clot-dissolving EkoSonic® Ultrasound Endovascular system (EKOS®), and
credits Texoma Medical Center for “bringing him back 100 percent.”
Three days passed before Reichert realized his fall from a horse had
caused serious injury. When he could hardly breathe on the third night,
his wife took him to the Emergency Department at Texoma Medical
Center. M. Paul Randhawa Jr., MD, FACS, a cardiovascular and thoracic
surgeon with TexomaCare, who determined his shortness of breath resulted
from a combination of the pulmonary embolism, pain from the rib fractures
and the fluid around the lung, knew exactly how to help his patient.
M. Paul Randhawa Jr.,
MD, FACS
Cardiovascular and
Thoracic Surgeon
Coincidentally, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved
the EKOS ultrasound endovascular system, an innovative catheter
system that uses ultrasound waves and clot-busting medication to
rapidly break up clots, for use in the lungs in May 2014. Previously,
EKOS was used exclusively to treat deep vein thrombosis, which
occurs when blood clots form in one or more of the deep veins
in the body, usually the legs.
One part of the EKOS device is infused with a clot-busting drug called a tissue plasminogen
activator (tPA). The other part is a filament of ultrasound nodes. The catheter has to be
inserted completely through the clot before treatment begins.
“The ultrasound waves loosen the fibers or the ‘scaffolding’ of the clot, which exposes
more tPA receptors,” says Dr. Randhawa, who has extensive experience with this
treatment. “The ultrasound waves penetrate the clot, which allows the tPA to permeate
the entire clot, thereby breaking it up. It’s like making ice cubes into crushed ice. The
clot just dissolves.”
Reichert spent six days in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and left Texoma Medical
Center after seven days. He says he can’t say enough good things about the care
he received at TMC, and that “everything was great, including the people and
the food.” Reichert especially respected the way the physicians cared for him and
worked so perfectly together. He believes he’s here today because of them.
“At my last echocardiogram, my cardiologist took me off all my medications and
told me my heart is back 100 percent, and I’m back 100 percent,” says Reichert. He
says he has only been on a horse twice since the spill, and is not sure if riding is in
his future. “Right now, I’m just happy,” he says. ■
Learn more about the Texoma Heart Institute at Texoma Medical
Center at www.texomamedicalcenter.net.
www.texomamedicalcenter.net
9
IT’S “STAR WARS”
AGAINST GERMS
AT TEXOMA
MEDICAL CENTER
A new ultraviolet-C disinfection system is one
more tool in the hospital’s arsenal for battling
viruses, bacteria and spores.
G
erms can no longer hide,
even in corners, now that
Texoma Medical Center
has started using the R-D™ Rapid
Disinfector™, an ultraviolet room
disinfection system. Looking like a
column of light tubes on wheels –
which the staff refers to as R2-D2™,
the robotic character in the “Star
Wars™” movies – the units can be
moved from room to room to ensure
lethal doses of UV-C have been
delivered to any pathogens.
The R-D Rapid Disinfector also
has the capability to measure
dosages delivered to targeted
areas via remote sensors. The
system can run a report so that
staff members can track which
rooms were treated and for how
long. “Before we got the R-D, we
mapped out the dimensions of
all the rooms in the facility,” says
Glenn. “This gave us a plan for
efficiently cleaning every area in
the hospital.”
“The environmental services
team completes mechanical and
chemical cleaning every day, based
on specific regulations for each
area in the hospital,” says Donna
Glenn, RN, BS, CIC, Director of
Infection Prevention and Emergency
Preparedness. “They then bring
the machine in, turn it on and shut
the door. Anywhere the light goes,
the germs are dead in five to 15
minutes, depending on the size
and configuration of the room.”
Glenn says that the R-D system
proved itself during the testing
phase by literally stopping an
outbreak of norovirus. She says
that while sterilization of everything
is impossible, Texoma Medical
Center goes the extra mile to make
sure its facilities are as germ-free
as possible. “We have an army of
people who clean, and we use the
best cleaning products,” says Glenn.
“This system gives us another tool
in our arsenal for reducing the bio
burden in our facilities.” ■
Photo courtesy of Steriliz™
What is ultraviolet-C?
Ultraviolet light is divided into UV-A, UV-B
and UV-C. A study by the Duke University
Medical Center showed that UV-C light
kills certain drug-resistant bacteria on door
handles, bedside tables and other surfaces
of hospital rooms, presenting a new weapon
in the battle to reduce hospital-associated
infections. UV-C-emitting products have
been used for 20 to 30 years to sterilize
If you have a question you’d like to have answered on TMC
Medical Minutes on KXII-TV, contact us at 903.416.4153.
10
www.texomamedicalcenter.net
water supplies because it’s such an
effective germicide.
Join Senior
Advantage —
It’s Free!
The TMC Senior Advantage
Program is open to those
age 55 and older. As a
member, you get access to:
Health and wellness information
for adults age 55 and older
GET PEACE OF MIND WITH AN ADVANCE DIRECTIVE
An advance directive is a legal document outlining instructions
for your healthcare should you be terminally ill, seriously injured,
in a coma, in the late stages of dementia or near the end of your
life. Advance directives vary by state. In Texas, two documents are
required. In Oklahoma, the same information is included in one
document, but divided in two sections.
1
2
MEDICAL POWER OF ATTORNEY OR HEALTHCARE PROXY
This names a trusted person who will make decisions for you if you
are unable to do so. Typically, the person – called your agent or proxy
– is your spouse, a family member or a good friend. In the state of
Texas, your agent cannot be your healthcare provider, your residential
care provider or an employee of those providers. The only exception
to the rule is if an employee is related to you.
•H
ealth screenings
• Seminars and workshops
• Cafeteria and gift shop
discounts
• Health News newsletter
and more
For more information on
Senior Advantage, call
903.416.55GO (5546).
You don’t need a lawyer to
prepare your advance directive
documents. In Texas, the forms
need to be signed by two
witnesses or acknowledged
before a notary public. In
Oklahoma, forms must be signed
in front of two witnesses age
18 or older.
LIVING WILL
The living will covers decisions about medical treatments.
While it may seem difficult to make these decisions in
advance, legal experts suggest you consider your own
values. Think about the importance of self-sufficiency.
What conditions would adversely affect your quality
of life? Would you want your life extended at all cost?
Speak with your doctor about the topics covered
in the living will, including resuscitation,
mechanical ventilation and hospice care.
For more information and to download
your state’s specific advance directive,
go to www.caringinfo.org.
TURN THE PAGE FOR MORE
SENIOR ADVANTAGE NEWS
www.texomamedicalcenter.net
11
We’re all EARS
Ear, nose and throat specialists can
help patients overcome hearing loss with
understanding, testing and treatment.
Difficulty hearing or distinguishing important sounds and
speech clues can denote hearing loss, and often result in
frustration, embarrassment and even feelings of low self-esteem.
However, improving the condition requires understanding it
first. “There are various kinds of hearing loss and different ways
of treating it,” says Peter Selz, MD, ear, nose and throat (ENT)
specialist. “The good news is, help is available and devices
can usually improve hearing.”
Peter Selz, MD
Ear, Nose and
Throat Specialist
PERIODIC TESTING IS IMPORTANT
Just as vision changes over time, it’s the same with the ears,
according to Dr. Selz. “You should treat your ears like your eyes
or your teeth and get regular checkups – at least once a year,”
he says. It’s a good idea to find out if you need an assistive
device you didn’t need six months ago, or if the one you
currently use no longer provides the proper speech recognition
or help with background noise that it once did. He says that
keeping up with these changes is part of overall health. “Studies
have shown that hearing well can be a positive influence on
nearly every aspect of a person’s life,” says Dr. Selz. ➤
How do you know if you have hearing loss?
Talk to your doctor if you:
• Have trouble hearing over the telephone
• Have difficulty following conversations between multiple people
• Think that others are mumbling
• Have trouble understanding women and children
(their voices are a higher frequency)
• Cannot hear over background noise
• Often need to turn up the TV
• Have to ask people to repeat what they are saying
12
www.texomamedicalcenter.net
Senior Advantage
KINDS OF HEARING LOSS
•Presbycusis commonly comes on slowly and progresses
as a person grows older. It can affect hearing in both ears
and is thought to have a genetic element.
•Tinnitus is a ringing or hissing noise in the ear that can
accompany hearing loss or is a sign of another health
problem, such as high blood pressure or allergies.
•Sudden deafness is a medical emergency and you should
be treated right away. It may be curable if treated in time.
CAUSES OF HEARING LOSS
•Loud noise is perhaps the most common reason for hearing
loss. You can protect yourself by turning down the sound on
TVs and headphones, or using earplugs.
•Viruses, a heart condition, stroke, brain injury, tumor or
medication can affect hearing. Check with your doctor
about switching medications if that’s suspected.
•Fluid or wax buildup can block sound. Eardrops or mineral
oil can soften earwax. See your doctor if you have pain or
fluid draining from the ear.
DEVICES THAT CAN HELP
•Hearing aids are battery-run devices that electronically
make sounds louder. They should be comfortable, so
always ask for a trial run before purchasing one.
•Alert systems send visual signals or vibrations to relay
information. Examples are a flashing light connected to a
doorbell or a vibrating alarm clock under the pillow.
•Amplifiers can help people with hearing loss hear
telephone conversations better, and listen to the TV or a
radio without turning up the volume.
•Cochlear implants include a portion that is surgically
implanted under the skin. These devices send signals
to the brain, which recognizes them as sounds. ■
Happy, Healthy You Lecture Series
Thursday, March 5
6 to 7 p.m.
Texoma Medical Center Conference Rooms 1 and 2
Reserve your place now for a free evening with Peter Selz, MD,
who will discuss the symptoms of hearing loss and how to
manage them. Refreshments will be served. Call Direct Doctors
Plus® at 903.416.DOCS (3627) for reservations. For more Happy,
Healthy You topics, visit www.texomamedicalcenter.net
NEWS AND EVENTS
Lunch & Learn Seminar
March 20, 2015, 11:30 a.m.
Speaker: Vanessa Ohnes, MD,
TexomaCare, Geriatric and Internal Medicine
Topic: Exercise and Aging – It’s Never too Late to Start
Reserve your spot today. Call Direct Doctors
Plus® at 903.416.DOCS (3627).
Game Day
Have fun, sharpen your mind and meet
new friends at Game Day.
1st Tuesday of every month
TMC Cafe, 2 p.m. - Refreshments provided.
TMC Medical Supply & Scrubs voted
“Best Medical Supply!”
• 24-hour emergency service
• Prompt, free delivery
• Equipment set-up and education
• Insurance coverage verification
Two convenient locations:
TMC Medical Supply and Scrubs
Texoma Medical Plaza
5012 S. US Hwy 75, Suite 135
903.416.5555
Downtown Denison
619 W. Main Street
903.416.5555
Bring in these coupons for big savings!
20% off your
entire scrubs
purchase!
For new customers only.
Offer expires April 30, 2015.
20% off
blood pressure
monitors!
Offer expires April 30, 2015.
www.texomamedicalcenter.net
13
ASK THE
doctor
Urgent care: When you don’t
want to wait to see a doctor
TMC Urgent Care physician
Q: When should I choose
Q: Why can’t I go to
Bryan Massenburg, MD,
urgent care rather than
emergency care?
urgent care if I think
I’m having a heart
attack or stroke?
reminds everyone that for
symptoms of possible heart
attack or stroke, breathing
problems or abdominal pain,
people should always go to a
hospital emergency room. For
times when your problem is not
life threatening, but you want to
be seen right away, urgent care
is an appropriate choice. Here
he helps clarify the decision.
Urgent care is for instances when
you might ordinarily call your
primary care physician (PCP) for
a same-day visit, but maybe it’s a
Saturday or your doctor’s office is
booked up. Common reasons to
go to urgent care include a sore
throat, cough, influenza or minor
illness. Chest pain definitely calls
for the ER. A small cut can be
taken care of at home. Urgent care
is for everything in between.
Q: What are some of the
services available at TMC
Urgent Care?
We see patients with workrelated injuries, which not every
urgent care center will do. The
clinic is able to administer flu
vaccines and tetanus shots, and
there is onsite X-ray available.
The clinic includes a full laboratory
for performing drug tests, some
blood tests and other basic
diagnostic testing. We also can
administer routine physicals
and screenings.
Urgent care centers are not
equipped with the advanced
equipment necessary to
properly diagnose and treat
serious, life-threatening
conditions. If a heart attack
or stroke is suspected, call
9-1-1 immediately.
Q: What other aspects
make urgent care so
convenient?
TMC Urgent Care is open until
7 p.m. every weekday and from
9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays,
which means trained and
certified physicians, nurses
and technicians are available
when patients need them.
No appointment is necessary.
Because of the wide range
of services we offer, we’re a
“one-stop-shop” for the
healthcare needs of the
whole family. ■
For medical care when
you need it, visit TMC
Urgent Care at 3126 W. FM
120 (Highway 75 and Morton
St.) in Denison, or call
903.416.7544.
14
www.texomamedicalcenter.net
You’re not alone
Support Groups at
Texoma Medical Center
Our commitment to the health of our community extends beyond
the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of health conditions.
We are also dedicated to providing education and help through
the following free support groups.
Alzheimer’s Caregiver Support Group
Prostate Cancer Support Group
Every third Tuesday at 7 p.m. in
TMC Conference Room 1
Every second Tuesday in Conference Room 2
6:30 p.m. – Social Time, 7 p.m. – Program
Caring for someone with memory loss or other
signs of Alzheimer’s disease? Join local caregivers
to learn and gain support.
TMC is proud to host the Us TOO Prostate Cancer Support
Group. Meetings feature guest speakers, information exchange
and general discussion.
For information, call 903.821.1288.
For information, call 903.647.4325.
Open-Heart Surgery Support Group
Weight-Loss Surgery Support Group
Quarterly meetings are held on the third Friday
of February, May, August and November.
9 – 10 a.m. in TMC Conference Room 2
Every last Tuesday at 6 p.m. in Conference Room 3
Life after open-heart surgery may be different.
Use this forum to share experiences and learn
from other patients.
For information and to reserve your
place, call Direct Doctors Plus® at
903.416.DOCS (3627).
Stroke Support Group
Every third Thursday from 6 – 7 p.m. at the
TMC Conference Center
Stroke survivors and caregivers learn about
stroke-related topics from the TMC Stroke Team.
For information and to reserve your
place, call Direct Doctors Plus® at
903.416.DOCS (3627).
Don’t go it alone! Get help with lifestyle changes
and share how you feel with others who are going
through the same changes.
For information, call 903.416.4180.
Kudos
to Physician
Award Winners
Please join us in
congratulating these
excellent physicians for
winning the TMC Physician
Quality Awards in the
following categories:
Quality
Excellence Award
Fred Nora, MD
Pathologist
Service
Excellence Award
Gregory Keelan, DO
Emergency Medicine
Documentation
Excellence Award
Jensen Abraham, MD
Hospitalist
www.texomamedicalcenter.net
15
PRSRT STD
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT NO. 322
PONTIAC, IL
P.O. Box 890
Denison, TX 75021-0890
Your heart is priceless …
Learn to protect it!
In Celebration of American Heart Month in February, Texoma Medical Center (TMC)
is hosting a FREE heart health event. You’ll learn how to protect your heart against
disease with free screenings and heart health information.
Need Heart Care?
The Texoma Heart Institute
at TMC offers comprehensive
cardiovascular care.
Join Us!
Call Direct Doctors Plus® at
903.416.DOCS (3627).
TMC Heart Health Event
Saturday, February 21, 8 a.m. to Noon
TMC Main Lobby
♥ Free heart health screenings
♥ Early Heart Attack Care (EHAC) education
♥ “Ask the Pharmacist” medication check
♥ Stroke and heart health education
♥ Cooking demonstrations and heart-healthy recipes
♥ Drawings during the event … and more!
Plus … Free Smoking Cessation Lecture
Gregory Carlson, MD, FAAFP
Conference Room 1
11 a.m.
Connect
WITH US!
www.texomamedicalcenter.net
903.416.4000
HEALTH NEWS FROM TEXOMA MEDICAL CENTER
Ronald T. Seal
CEO, Managing Director
Jennifer Reed
Media & Advertising Coordinator
Amber Sweeney
Director of Marketing
Jo Johnson
Business & Industry Coordinator
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 Texoma Medical Center or
Universal Health Services, Inc. Physicians mentioned in this publication are independent practitioners who are not employees or agents of Texoma
Medical Center. The hospital shall not be liable for actions or treatments provided by physicians. ©2015. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A.
You may have received this mail because your address appears on a purchased mailing list. The companies from whom we purchase mailing lists are responsible for removing your name if you do not wish to be listed. To add or remove your name and address from our
mailing list, please contact Texoma Medical Center’s Marketing Department; the Direct Marketing Association, Farmingdale, NY; or log on to http://www.dmachoice.org.