Halloween is traditionally a fun night for children across the U.S., but the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has left parents wondering if they should celebrate this year, and if so, how to celebrate safely. Pediatricians from Beverly Knight Olson Children’s Hospital, Navicent Health offer tips to celebrate a COVID Safe Halloween.

“It’s important to create as much normalcy for children as possible, while also taking steps to protect them from COVID-19. We encourage people to follow the guidelines set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and get creative in order to celebrate safely,” said Edward Clark, MD, Medical Director of BKO.

Pediatricians from BKO recommend the following tips to prevent the spread of COVID-19 this Halloween:

• Trick-or-treat with those in your household and stay at least six feet apart from celebrants who do not live in your household.
• Avoid direct contact with trick-or-treaters.
• Go outside to pass out treats.
• Wash your hands thoroughly for 20 seconds with warm water and soap before handing out treats.
• Instead of handing out treats, create individual treat bags and set up an outdoor station for children to take their own bag.
• Wear a cloth mask that covers the nose and mouth at all times.

“Be sure to wear a cloth mask that covers the nose and mouth to protect yourself and others from COVID-19. A standard Halloween costume mask is not a substitute for a cloth mask, and you should not wear a Halloween costume mask over a cloth mask – this can make breathing very difficult.  Instead, have fun incorporating a cloth mask into your costume! For example, dress up as a ninja or a healthcare worker,” said Katherine Duncan, MD, Director of Pediatric Advocacy and Global Health at BKO.

Pediatricians at BKO also ask parents and guardians to remember the general Halloween safety tips that have applied in year’s past and remain applicable this year. Those safety measures include the following:

• Adults should accompany younger children at all times. If teens plan to go out on their own, review their route in advance and agree on a specific time to return home.
• Cross streets at the corners, looking both ways before crossing. Obey traffic signals and remain within crosswalks.
• Decorate costumes and treat bags with reflective stickers, lights or glow sticks. Have children carry flashlights.
• Make sure costumes fit appropriately to avoid trips and falls. Select fire resistant costumes, wigs and accessories.
• Inspect all treats before consuming them to ensure wrappers are sealed and have not been tampered with. Do not accept homemade treats.

Those who may not feel comfortable trick-or-treating this year do not have to miss out on the festivities and fun. Pediatricians at BKO suggest the following trick-or-treat alternatives:

• Decorate your home as a family. Invite neighbors to compete in a decorating contest.
• Hold a neighborhood parade outdoors so everyone can show of their costume while maintaining social distancing.
•  Visit a pumpkin patch. Carve pumpkins with the members of your household, or outside with friends and neighbors.
• Go on an outdoor, Halloween-themed scavenger hunt.
• Have a spooky movie marathon with members of your household. Let each member choose a movie.
• Hide Halloween treats around your home and have a treat hunt with members of your household.

“Although we need to make adjustments to the way we celebrate this year, there are still plenty of opportunities to have a fun and safe holiday,” said Dr. Clark.

About Navicent Health
Navicent Health, the leading provider of healthcare in central and south Georgia, is committed to its mission of elevating health and wellbeing through compassionate care. Providing more than 1,000 beds and offering care in 53 specialties at more than 50 facilities throughout the region, Navicent Health provides care for healthcare consumers’ through an academic medical center; community, pediatric and rehabilitation hospitals; urgent care centers; physician practices; diagnostic centers; home health; hospice and palliative care; and a life plan community. Navicent Health is dedicated to enhancing health and wellness for individuals throughout the region through nationally recognized quality care, community health initiatives and collaborative partnerships. For more information, please visit www.navicenthealth.org.

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This October, St. Mary’s Hospital in Athens and St. Mary’s Sacred Heart Hospital in Lavonia are providing free, fresh food to people in need in our community.

Under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that the Farmers to Families Food Box Program will distribute up to $3 billion worth of fresh produce, dairy, and meat products to families in need. USDA identified eligible counties within each state, and two St. Mary’s hospitals are located in counties eligible to receive food boxes: St. Mary’s Hospital in Clarke County and Sacred Heart Hospital in Franklin County.

St. Mary’s is collaborating in this special community event with Metz Culinary Management, the system’s regional food service vendor, and with Sysco Atlanta. Every food box is 30-40 pounds of fresh fruit, vegetables, dairy, meat and eggs.

Each hospital has approximately 1,250 food boxes to distribute to families in need of food on a first-come, first-served basis. No documentation, identification or paperwork is needed to receive the food box.

St. Mary’s Health Care System Farmers-to-Families dates

• Friday, Oct. 30, 9 a.m.-noon: Sacred Heart Hospital, 367 Clear Creek Dr, Lavonia, GA 30553. Please drive towards the left side of hospital near the Wellness Center to the distribution site. You may remain in your vehicle and the food box will be placed in your backseat or trunk.
• Saturday, Oct. 31, 9 a.m.-noon, St. Mary’s Hospital, 139 Alps Road, Athens, GA 30606. Please drive through the Alps or Broad Street entrances. The distribution site will be on St. Mary’s campus behind Zoe’s Kitchen. You may remain in your vehicle and the food box will be placed in your backseat or trunk.

For more information, please contact Tamara Bourda, Regional Vice President, Community Health and Well-Being, at tamara.bourda@stmarysathens.org.

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Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) is the only hospital in Georgia to receive one of the highest levels of recognition for using technology to improve healthcare quality and cost.

The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) included NGMC on its annual list of Healthcare’s Most Wired for 2020. This is the seventh year NGMC has made the list, and it’s the first year it received Level 9 certification alongside healthcare leaders like Mayo Clinic, Johns Hopkins and UCLA Health.

“While NGMC is always honored to be included on the Most Wired list, this year’s recognition is particularly meaningful,” says Chris Paravate, Northeast Georgia Health System’s Chief Information Officer. “Technology has played a critical role in helping us rapidly transform care delivery as we adapted to the changing needs of our community during the COVID-19 pandemic.” 

The Most Wired program conducts an annual survey to assess how effectively healthcare organizations apply information technologies into their clinical and business programs to improve patient safety and outcomes in their communities. Level 9 organizations have deployed advanced technologies like population health/cost-of-care analytics, tools to efficiently share data across different electronic health records, patient portals to help people access their health information – and use them to improve clinical outcomes and efficiency.

“Having a solid technology foundation has allowed us to expand our services in 2020 to offer video visits, improved ways to find our physicians online, improved consults between different hospitals and more,” says Paravate. “We have ambitious plans to keep improving those tools and finding more ways to use technology to help improve our community’s health in 2021.”

Learn more about the 2020 Most Wired Survey at chimecentral.org. 

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ABOUT NORTHEAST GEORGIA MEDICAL CENTER

Since 1951, Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) has been on a mission of improving the health of our community in all we do. With hospitals located in Gainesville, Braselton, Winder and Dahlonega, the four NGMC campuses have a total of more than 700 beds and more than 1,100 medical staff members representing more than 50 specialties. NGMC is part of Northeast Georgia Health System, a non-profit that cares for more than 1 million people across more than 18 counties. Learn more at www.nghs.com.

Thanks front-line healthcare workers, learns about open heart expansion

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp was in Carrollton Wednesday, paying a visit to Tanner Medical Center/Carrollton to learn more about how community hospitals have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic and to talk to the healthcare workers on the front lines of the pandemic.

“COVID-19 has presented unprecedented challenges across our state,” Gov. Kemp told a multidisciplinary group of healthcare workers in the intensive care unit at Tanner Medical Center/Carrollton — where many of the region’s most acutely ill COVID-19 patients received care. “It’s something we’ve all been through, but you’ve been on the front lines. Thank you for all you’ve done.”

The governor was escorted into the ICU by a group of physicians and senior leadership representatives who have been at the forefront of the health system’s COVID-19 response.

“Let’s meet some of our heroes,” said Tanner President and CEO Loy Howard, wrapping an arm around ICU nurse manager Nancy Harris, CCRN.

On the unit, Gov. Kemp met with a group of nurses, environmental services staff, respiratory therapists, palliative care nurses, pharmacists and others, hearing their concerns on staffing, taking precautions to stop the spread of the virus and supply shortages.

He also heard from staff who faced challenges beyond the in-hospital challenges of the pandemic, including those who stayed away from home for months at a time to prevent bringing the virus into their house and those facing homeschooling children while fighting on the front lines of the virus.

“I have three daughters myself,” said Gov. Kemp. “There’s going to be a generational effect like we’ll never know.”

The governor was led through the hospital by several physicians who have been deeply involved in battling the pandemic while continuing to push ahead with expanding healthcare services in the region.

“Our whole community responded,” said Laura Larson, MD, an infectious disease specialist and medical director of infection prevention for Tanner. “I came into a room with a COVID-19 patient wearing one of our reusable green gowns. The lady told me, ‘I made that gown. We prayed over every one of those before we sent them out.’ And she recovered; she did well.”

On the ICU, the governor also saw several new rooms that were added during the pandemic and heard about how the hospital had converted other rooms to negative pressure, enabling the facility to safely care for COVID-19 patients without the risk of spreading the virus throughout the hospital.

“We really appreciate the Department of Community Health for helping hospitals open bed capacity,” said Howard. “That’s been vital to helping hospitals like ours expand the inpatient capacity we needed to handle a surge in patients.”

The governor also toured the hospital’s surgical services unit, which was largely shuttered during the pandemic but has returned to life the past several months.

Alyssa Howard, MD, an anesthesiologist and Tanner’s chief of staff, said locking down the surgical services unit was concerning but necessary.

“We knew some folks could wait one month,” Dr. Howard said, “but not two.”

Testing, said Dr. Howard, was imperative to reopening healthcare services — especially testing that offered faster results.

“If we test on a Thursday, and they go to the beach over the weekend and have a procedure scheduled for Tuesday, that doesn’t work,” Dr. Howard said. “We need to know if they could be sick right before the procedure. Having a faster result is critical.”

The governor also learned more about Tanner’s plans to expand open-heart surgical care to west Georgia — the most populous part of Georgia without an open-heart program.

In recent years, Tanner has expanded lifesaving interventional cardiology services — like angioplasty and stenting — from Carrollton to Villa Rica and established accredited chest pain centers in both cities.

Late last year, the health system earned state approval to develop an open-heart surgery program at Tanner Medical Center/Carrollton.

Shazib Khawaja, MD, medical director of interventional cardiology at Tanner, explained to the governor how essential open-heart surgical care was to opening a comprehensive heart care program in the region.

“Lately, COVID-19 has taken center stage, but we’re pushing forward,” said Christopher Arant, MD, also an interventional cardiologist and a member of Tanner’s board of directors. “People tell us that they don’t want to go to Atlanta for these services. It’s in the interest of the community to stay local.”

“This is the right time for us,” said Tanner CEO Howard. “Heart disease is the leading cause of death in our region; comprehensive heart care will save lives.”

More information on Tanner’s services and news can be found at tanner.org.

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Northeast Georgia Health System (NGHS) is happy to offer a new service to help patients transition from the hospital to their homes. Effective Oct. 1, NGHS and LHC Group, the preferred in-home healthcare partner for 350 leading hospitals around the country, will partner to launch Northeast Georgia Home Health in Gainesville.

“We are thrilled to partner with LHC Group to bridge the gap in NGHS’s continuum of care, ensuring our North Georgia region has access to a full range of services within our health system,” said Carol Burrell, president and CEO of NGHS. “Providing this in-home care is another way we’re achieving our mission of improving the health of our community in all we do.”

Northeast Georgia Home Health serves patients and families in Gainesville and the North Georgia region with high-quality, affordable healthcare services in the privacy and comfort of their home.

Based in Lafayette, Louisiana, LHC Group is a leading national provider of in-home healthcare services with 32,000 employees operating in 35 states and the District of Columbia – reaching 60% of the U.S. population aged 65 and older.

“Our LHC Group family looks forward to expanding our services in the state of Georgia by partnering with a respected, high-quality healthcare organization like Northeast Georgia Health System,” said Keith Myers, chairman and CEO of LHC Group. “With our combined talent, experience and resources, we will be able to provide care to more patients and families in Gainesville and across the region.”

Northeast Georgia Home Health will help patients regain strength and independence and attain the quality of life they deserve. It will offer valuable guidance and support, providing the educational tools and resources patients and families need to make informed decisions on care for themselves or loved ones.

If you have questions about Northeast Georgia Home Health or would like more information, please visit nghs.com/home-health or call 770-297-0041.

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South Georgia Medical Center honored the Emergency Department and Emergency Medical Services as Hospital Heroes at the Hospital Authority of Valdosta Lowndes County Board meeting last week.

According to Chief Nursing Officer Randy Smith, “We are currently in the middle of a worldwide pandemic of unprecedented proportions and today it truly is fitting to recognize these healthcare professionals as our Hospital Heroes. They are out on the front lines of this fight, they adapted practices to keep themselves and their patients safe, all the while continuing to serve their communities and support the South Georgia Health System.”

Smith said that SGMC EMS have responded to 357 patients suspected of having covid-19. ED staff have delivered care with courage, dedication, teamwork and extraordinary compassion.

“I am overwhelmed by the unquestionable strength of character demonstrated by these teams, “said Smith. “When times are tough, heroes emerge and you are all truly heroes.”

Former SGMC nurse and Hospital Authority Board member Shirley Garland took a moment to thank the teams and their family members who also play a role in this fight.

The group received a resounding standing ovation.

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Though processes, services and visitation look and feel different, you can be confident that Hamilton Health Care System (HHCS) will continue to provide safe care.

“We are seeing a lot more people coming back into the hospital for screenings, surgeries and other necessary healthcare,” said Sandy McKenzie, COO. “It’s important to remember that delaying care, whether testing or treatment, could be detrimental to your health, or at least cause extended discomfort in some cases. We’re taking many extra steps to keep you and our associates safe.”

HHCS is following CDC guidelines and has put a number of measures in place to help keep patients and support people safe. When patients arrive at Hamilton Medical Center (HMC), they are greeted by a staff member who take their temperature, screen for COVID-19 symptoms and provide hand sanitizer.

In addition, staff have the same screening procedures in place and wear masks and other appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) as needed.

“We’ve seen that masks and other appropriate PPE have been very effective in protecting patients and staff members as well as preventing the spread of the virus,” said Peri Correll, director of Infection Prevention.

Bill Evans recently traveled to HMC from Atlanta to have his total knee joint replacement surgery. “I felt very safe,” he said. “The hospital is the safest place to be. I never once felt uncomfortable.” Evans said that everything went well. “Everyone was super nice. It couldn’t have been a better experience.”

HMC continues to practice social distancing (including decals on floors and furniture) to prevent people from getting within 6 feet of each other. There are additional sanitizing stations throughout the facility, and Xenex germ-zapping robots use high-powered UV light to kill 99.9 percent of bacteria and viruses on surfaces. Staggered appointments are used to minimize the number of people in a given area, and patients who have tested positive for COVID-19 are kept in a separate, protected area in the hospital.

In addition to HMC, other Hamilton Physician Group and other Hamilton Health Care System locations have added screening, social distancing, additional sanitizing, staggered appointments and face mask requirements for all patients, support people and staff.

“We understand that many people have delayed care during the last few months due to COVID-19,” said McKenzie. “But it’s important to get the healthcare that you need. We are totally committed to providing the safest and highest level of care.”

Phyllis Stephens, chief operating officer for the Greater Dalton Chamber of Commerce, recently had an endoscopy procedure. “I’m glad I didn’t delay my procedure,” said Stephens. “As a patient, I felt very comfortable and safe when I arrived. The check-in and admittance were quick and my nurse took great care of me as she prepped me for the procedure.”

HHCS is encouraging everyone to continue taking precautions to avoid an increase in infections. “Please continue to take precautions when going out into the community,” McKenzie said. “Avoid crowded areas, wear a mask when in public, wash your hands often and remember to social distance. We all want this virus to be gone. Please be safe.”

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Navicent Health has increased its internal minimum wage from $7.25 per hour to $10.00 per hour, investing $1.2 million into the lives and careers of its teammates. Hourly workers will benefit from the increase, which exceeds the federal government’s minimum pay requirements.

“At Navicent Health, we base our decisions on three categories – strategy, operations and people. Of these, our people are the most important. The decision to increase our internal minimum wage moves hundreds of teammates payed by the hour to a living wage. We’re thrilled to make this investment in our people, particularly during a time when so many individuals and organizations are struggling,” said Dr. Ninfa M. Saunders, President and CEO of Navicent Health.

Navicent Health, in partnership with its collaborative partner Atrium Health, is beginning the process of transitioning teammates from a minimum wage to a living wage. The first step in this process is establishing an internal minimum wage for all Navicent Heath teammates. Any teammate currently earning less than $10.00 per hour will receive a pay increase to align with the health system’s new internal minimum wage of $10.00 per hour. The increase went into effect on September 6, 2020 and will appear on affected teammates’ paychecks on September 25, 2020.

The pay increase ensures that starting wages at Navicent Health are competitive among local employers and within the healthcare field. Navicent Health is currently hiring for a number of positions at locations across central Georgia. To view available job opportunities, please visit https://navicenthealth-careers.hctsportals.com/.

As a major employer and catalyst for the local and state economy, the increase also demonstrates Navicent Health’s and Atrium Health’s shared commitment to invest in the region’s economy.

About Navicent Health
Navicent Health, the leading provider of healthcare in central and south Georgia, is committed to its mission of elevating health and wellbeing through compassionate care. Providing more than 1,000 beds and offering care in 53 specialties at more than 50 facilities throughout the region, Navicent Health provides care for healthcare consumers’ through an academic medical center; community, pediatric and rehabilitation hospitals; urgent care centers; physician practices; diagnostic centers; home health; hospice and palliative care; and a life plan community. Navicent Health is dedicated to enhancing health and wellness for individuals throughout the region through nationally recognized quality care, community health initiatives and collaborative partnerships. For more information, please visit www.navicenthealth.org.

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Just in time for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, diagnostic mammography has come to St. Mary’s Good Samaritan Hospital. Diagnostic mammography can help provide women and their doctor with the answers they need after a screening mammogram shows an area of concern.

“This is great news for the roughly 10 percent of women who have a call-back after an area of concern is identified on their screening mammogram,” said Tanya Adcock, RN, President of St. Mary’s Good Samaritan Hospital. “Instead of having to travel to Athens, Augusta or the Atlanta area for a diagnostic study, they can now get the testing they need right here, close to home.”

Diagnostic mammography uses the same state-of-the-art Hologic 3D machine that Good Sam uses for screening mammograms. But the diagnostic study is personally directed by a radiologist who specializes in breast image interpretation. The radiologist and Good Sam’s mammography team work personally with the patient to obtain new, more targeted images, and then use a powerful new computing system, the Hologic SecurView, to analyze those images while the patient waits.

Because the radiologist is on site during the exam, they can review images in real time and obtain additional images immediately from angles that best highlight the suspicious areas. They can also order same-visit ultrasound studies, which provide different diagnostic information and are also available at Good Sam.       

“The key to our new service is the combination of the SecurView technology and the radiologists’ commitment to come to Good Sam on a regular basis,” Adcock explained.

Funds for the purchase of the $73,000 SecurView workstation came through donations to the Good Samaritan Foundation’s Breast Health Fund.

“Our Foundation Board was eager to support this purchase so that we could bring diagnostic breast imaging to our community,” said Becky Smith, Foundation Board Chair. “It’s another great example of how the generosity of local people and businesses is helping St. Mary’s bring state-of-the-art services to our families, friends, and neighbors.”

Diagnostic mammography is an essential step in determining if an area of concern is normal breast tissue or an area that needs additional follow-up or biopsy, according to St. Mary’s Health Care System Mammography Supervisor Lori Daniel.

“Screening mammography is a quick, low-dose test that can detect lesions that need more detailed testing,” she said. “Screening is all most women need most of the time. But for that 10-11 percent who require additional testing, having diagnostic mammography available at Good Sam is a huge step forward and will provide a lot of peace-of-mind.”

Daniel explained that diagnostic imaging is necessary because an early-stage cancer may look nearly identical in a screening mammogram to other structures that are harmless.

“Hearing that you have an ‘area of concern’ on a mammogram is stressful,” she said. “Having diagnostic mammography at Good Sam can help patients get answers locally. Now, we can tell them on the same day as their call-back whether there’s nothing to worry about or if they need a biopsy.”

Adcock agreed. “Can you imagine finding out you need a biopsy and then having to drive an hour to get home? Plus, if the patient needs a biopsy, our staff is right here to help them understand their choices and make arrangements with our radiologist and biopsy team in Athens before they leave the building. That’s huge. It takes away some of the fear that comes with being told you might have breast cancer.”

To schedule your screening mammogram, go to www.stmaryshealthcaresystem.org, choose “Find Service or Specialty,” select “Women and Maternity” and click “Schedule a mammogram.” Or call 706.389.2700. You do not need a doctor’s order, but you do need to specify which doctor should receive the results of your exam. Also, St. Mary’s Good Samaritan Hospital is proud to partner with Oconee Valley Healthcare to provide 25 free screening mammograms to uninsured women from Greene County this October. Please call 706-453-5005 to apply.

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Hamilton Physician Group (HPG), part of Hamilton Health Care System, is offering ID NOW™ Influenza A & B 2, the fastest rapid molecular flu test, at its Convenient Care locations.

The ID NOW™ delivers flu results in 13 minutes or less, making it faster than other molecular methods and more accurate than conventional rapid tests.

“This rapid flu test is reliable, and it allows us to make quick, effective treatment decisions,” said Holly Andrews, director of business administration for HPG.

Positive results are delivered in as few as 5 minutes, with 95 percent detected within 7 minutes.

The speed and reliability of the test help target antiviral therapy and antimicrobial stewardship, a coordinated program that promotes the appropriate use of antimicrobials (including antibiotics), improves patient outcomes, reduces microbial resistance and decreases the spread of infections caused by multidrug-resistant organisms.

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