2010

Kristi Coleman, an employee of Southern Ohio Medical Center, recently passed the certification exam required to be a certified Tumor Registrar by the National Cancer Registrars Association.

Cancer registrars serve a unique role in the medical field. Registrars piece together a cancer patient’s entire history by capturing a complete summary of the patient’s disease process from diagnosis through their lifetime. The summary is obtained through abstracting key clinical and demographic information from the medical record.

This elaborate long term data gathering provides evidence based information which leads to trend data that enable public health professionals and researchers to improve healthcare in many areas including most effective cancer treatment, cancer prevention and optimal quality of life for survivors.

“We are very proud of Kristi and her accomplishment,” said Wendi Waugh, administrative director of SOMC Cancer Services.“

Coleman received a bachelor’s degree in social science from Shawnee State University. She has been employed at SOMC since 2004 and currently resides in West Portsmouth with her husband and two children.

Southern Ohio Medical Center will host free breast cancer screenings from 5 to 7 p.m. Oct. 21 at the SOMC Cancer Center, 1121 Kinneys Lane in Portsmouth.

The event is open to local uninsured and underinsured women and free clinical breast exams will be provided. Free mammograms will also be provided through the Hands of Hope program funded by the Columbus Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure in cooperation with Southern Ohio Medical Center.

Women age 40 or older or younger women with a family history of breast cancer are encouraged to attend. Registration is necessary and can be made by calling the SOMC Volunteer Office at 740-356-8234.

Southern Ohio Medical Center’s Respiratory Care, Pulmonary Diagnostic and Sleep Study departments will celebrate World Spirometer Day from 12 to 4 p.m. Oct. 14 at the Lucasville LIFE Center, 10617 U.S. Route 23 in Lucasville.

Community members are invited to participate in the free spirometry and pulse oximetry screenings during the event. The screening takes five minutes and tests the lungs for early indications of diseases such as asthma, lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

“The Forum of International Respiratory Societies has deemed 2010 as the Year of the Lung and we hope this free screening will raise awareness of lung health and prevent future lung diseases,” Pam Kayser, RRT, RPFT, supervisor of the Pulmonary Diagnostic Lab at SOMC, said. “Just as people monitor their blood pressure, they should also be proactive about their lung health.”

If the test results raise concern, attendees will be given a letter to give to their family physician. Also, educational information about lung disorders will be available.

For more information, please contact the SOMC Pulmonary Diagnostic Department at 740-356-8485.

SOMC to Host Free Breast Cancer Screenings

Southern Ohio Medical Center will host the Third Annual Nursing Research Symposium from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Oct. 25 at the SOMC Friends Community Center, 1202 18th Street in Portsmouth.

Area nurses, faculty and students are invited to learn more about the nursing research being conducted at SOMC, Shawnee State University, Marshall University and Riverside Methodist Hospital. Presentations will be made on a variety of topics including minimal lift environment, resilience, childhood obesity, heart failure and hemolysis of blood specimen.

The event is free of cost. Breakfast and lunch will be provided and contact hours will be awarded. Pre-registration is requested by Oct. 12 and can be made by calling Lisa Thompson at 740-356-8310.

More than 290 runners participated in the 33rd Annual Run for Your LIFE community races Saturday, Sept. 4, starting at the SOMC LIFE Center.

Overall winners in the 5-K race were Dylan Pack 19:14 and Maddie McAllister 23:31 and overall in the 10-K race were Angela Welch 37:59 and Ralph Craft 40:13. Overall winners for the Pump and Run were Marion Hochstetler 23:56, 10:26 adjusted and Linda Scarberry 25:29 with 16:59 adjusted.

5-K winners in each age and gender group included: Male: 1-14, Jeffery McCambridge, Ben Evory, Alex Richardson; Female: 1-14, Sheridan McLean, Kaitlin Ruby, Kimber Johnson; Male: 15-19, Kyle Johnson, Daniel Evory, Zack Kammler; Female: 15-19, Maggie Sturgill, Kaitlin Setty, Emily Maple; Male: 20-24, David Fitch, Jr., Brent Downing, Anthony Martin; Female: 20-24, Lejla Bilal, Kayla Moore, Hayley Castle; Male: 25-29, Wes Romanello, Ben Richard, Michael Coriell; Female: 25-29, Melissa Smith, Ashley Bennett, Sara Mauk; Male: 30-34, Greg Young, Aaron Prose, Marion Hochstetler, Female: 30-34, Heidi Ziegler, Amy Rase, Kat Colley; Male: 35-39, Tim Buckle, Chris Delotell, Shane Rhea; Female: 35-39, Sherrie Caudill, Monica Keeton, Angee Tuggle; Male: 40-44, Matthew Hart, Steve Whittaker, Ed Dickens; Female: 40-44, Sandy Lagrange, Kim Lashley, Jo Ellen Mays; Male: 45-49, Kevin Kannler, Daniel Mault, Thomas Cooper; Female: 45-49, Melody Messer, Debra Blevins; Male: 50-54, Tom Walker, Robert Rieger, Rick Clark; Female: 50-54, Linda Scarberry, Erin Graf, Suzanne Kingery; Male: 55-59, Frank James, David Fitch, Sr., Randy Runyon; Female: 55-59, Barbara Duncan, Carole Perkins, Robin Stanley; Male: 60-64, Dave Graf, Stephen Smith, Daniel Ruggiero; Female: 60-64, Betty Neff, Peggy Ruggiero, Cathy Simmering; Male: 65-99, Ray Dreher, George Ison, Glenn Leesburg; Female: 65-99, Lois Rase, Norma Kolar.

10-K winners in each age and gender group included: Male: 15-19, Bobby Madden; Female: 15-19, Breanna Butler, Andrea Benjamin; Male: 20-24, Colton Halverson, Zack Parker; Male: 25-29, Eddie Neel, Derrick Carver, Adam Betten; Female: 25-29, Sarah Garvey, Irene Gillenwater; Male: 30-34, Chad Peters, Devin Russell; Female: 30-34, Michelle Finch, Lindsey Hamilton, Regina Tipton; Male: 35-39, Ken Mantle, Andy Watkins, Chris Lowery; Female: 35-39, Lara Ramey, Angie Hall, Diane Dillow; Male: 40-44, Steve Sarver, Tim Malone, Dale Foster; Female: 40-44, Kelly Emnett, Tempest Allen; Male: 45-49, Greg Lands, Brian Shope, Patrick Whitt; Female: 45-49, Sharon Welsh; Male: 50-54, Greg Malone, David Parlin, David Maynard; Female: 50-54, Jeanne Bauer; Male: 55-59, Mike Thompson, Tony Coburn; Female: 55-59, Jean Schmidt, Regina Clay, Theresa Kline; Male: 60-64, Delmar Scowden, Russ Sommers; Male: 65-99, Kou Liu.

Pump and Run winners: Male: Shane Rhea, David Fitch, Jr., Aaron MacDonald; Female: Linda Scarberry, Ashley Bennett, Louvina Duncan.

hawnee State University nursing students in partnership with Southern Ohio Medical Center provided blood pressure and blood sugar screenings during the Senior Expo, held Sept. 10 at the Scioto County Fairgrounds. Lindsay Ellis (right) is shown taking Alberta Potters (left) blood pressure as students Tracy Carey and Ashlee Ratliff assist other participants.

Southern Ohio Medical Center handed out items to promote healthy living at the Senior Expo held Sept. 10 at the Scioto County Fairgrounds. Amy Montgomery and Marianne Neville (left) are shown passing out plastic food containers with freezable lids to participants. SOMC Home Care, Heart and Vascular, Wound Healing and the Diabetes Prevention and Control Program were just a few of the services available at the expo to educate seniors and provide information about the very good things happening at SOMC.

Southern Ohio Medical Center will host annual prostate cancer screenings from 5 to 7 p.m. Sept. 16, 20, 22, and 30, location to be announced. All screenings are free of cost and include a PSA blood draw and an exam.

The following criteria is recommended but not required: Men at age 50 who are at average risk of prostate cancer; Men at age 45 who are at high risk including African Americans and those who have a first-degree relative diagnosed with prostate cancer at the age of 65 or younger; and lastly men age 40 who have several first-degree relatives who developed prostate cancer at an early age.

If detected early, prostate cancer is one of the most curable forms of cancer. In 2009, more than 200 screenings were completed at SOMC. Space is limited and reservations are necessary. To make an appointment, please call the SOMC Volunteer Office at 740-356-8234 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday.

Southern Ohio Medical Center’s Cancer Center now offers a breast cancer support group called the “Pink Ribbon Survivors.” The support group will meet to discuss the challenges, options and stresses that accompany breast cancer.

The new group will meet from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 15 in the SOMC Cancer Center conference room, located at 1121 Kinneys Lane, Portsmouth.

“We offer two breast cancer support groups at the SOMC Cancer Center,” Wendi Waugh, administrative director of SOMC Cancer Services, said. “We currently have a group that meets at 1 p.m. on the third Wednesday of every month but we wanted to start a new group that gathers together in the evenings, in an effort to better meet the needs of our patients.”

For more information, please call the SOMC Cancer Center at 740-356-7496.

Estel Gayhart (left), Registered Respiratory Therapist at Southern Ohio Medical Center uses the new Pulmonary Diagnostic equipment to test Amy France (right).

Southern Ohio Medical Center recently purchased two new pulmonary diagnostic machines and has donated the previous equipment to the Respiratory Therapy program at Shawnee State University.

“We felt like the equipment in the pulmonary diagnostic lab needed to be updated to provide better service for our customers and also to meet the American Thoracic Society standards,” Rory Phillips, administrative director of Pharmacy and Respiratory, said.

The new machine includes an exercise bicycle for exercise induced asthma testing and metabolic testing. Patients will sit in a body plethysmography (also known as a body box) which is a very sensitive lung measurement device used to detect lung pathology that might be missed with conventional pulmonary function tests. Also, the new box is wheelchair accessible.

“We are very excited that we now have the capability to test children ages six and up,” Pam Kayser, RRT/RPFT, supervisor of the Pulmonary Diagnostic Lab at SOMC, said. “In the past, we have tested children on some occasions but it’s difficult because they don’t understand what is happening or what we are asking them to do.”

Kayser explained that the new software displays animation so children and even adults will be able to see a simulation of the breathing exercise and interact better with the test and the respiratory therapist.

“At SOMC, we invest in technologies that enhance the quality and safety of our patients,” Dr. Elie Saab, senior medical director of Inpatient Services at SOMC, said. “In addition to the new equipment and better software, we now have the accessibility and ability to review the test results any time of the day, resulting in more efficient and excellent service provided for our patients.”

The SOMC Pulmonary Diagnostic Lab now offers complete pulmonary testing, including cardio pulmonary stress testing, bronchial probacation testing (asthma), metabolic testing, and exercise-induced asthma testing, among others.

In addition to the variety of tests available, SOMC also offers Pulmonary Rehabilitation as treatment for patients with various pulmonary and lung diseases, such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD). The goals of Pulmonary Rehabilitation are to reduce the symptoms associated with COPD, to decrease disability, to increase participation in physical and social activities, promote independence and to improve a patient’s overall quality of life. A physician’s order is needed for pulmonary rehabilitation.

For more information about the services provided, please call the SOMC Pulmonary Diagnostic Lab at 740-356-8485.