A Family Born at Northwest Hospital, pg. 2

Hospitalists: Raising the Bar in Inpatient Care, pg. 7

Northwest Hospital Foundation, pg. 8

Fighting Deep Vein Thrombosis, pg. 9

In the Community, pg. 10

Helping Patients Sleep, pg. 12

March / April 2008

Cover Story

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A Family Born at Northwest Hospital

Krystle had some extra confidence as she approached the final weeks of her third pregnancy. The Snohomish woman knew that labor nurses Susan Lynch and Holly Jackson had her home number on their cell phones. Her doctor, Dana Blackham, actually had her number memorized. Krystle also knew that, no matter what hour she walked into the Childbirth Center at Northwest Hospital, she’d see a nurse she knew. This unusual connection started in a moment of crisis, when Krystle went into labor five weeks prematurely with her first baby, Jackson.

“He was doing fine at first,” Krystle says. “Then he started showing signs of a possible infection, so he ended up in the nursery for six days. It was a very traumatic thing to go from ‘he’s fine’ to all of a sudden being in the NICU.”

During this difficult time, Lynch, the other nurses in the Northwest Hospital Childbirth Center and the nurses in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) were right there for Krystle and her family all the way through. Lynch says personal relationships like these are possible because moth-ers stay in the same bed in the Childbirth Center, and often with the same nursing team, all the way through from early labor to post-partum care.

Once Krystle and her husband Jason were able to take Jackson home, they got into the routines of a young fam-ily. Then Krystle became pregnant with Kelsey. Because her first delivery had been premature, Dr. Blackham put Krystle on bed rest to try to give Kelsey the longest possible time in the womb. Even so, during the 32nd week of her pregnancy, Krystle again went into early labor.

A typical pregnancy lasts about 40 weeks. A baby born three or more weeks early is considered premature. Pre-maturity gives the baby less time to develop, leading to an increased risk of medical and developmental problems, such as underdeveloped lungs. Even a few extra days of

Life is often all about connections: colleague to colleague, boss to employee, brother to

sister, mother to child. On occasion, surprising associations develop, like the one con-

necting the labor nurses at Northwest Hospital to Krystle Carter and her family.

From left to right: Kelsey (16 months), Krystle,

Jackson (3 years), Ashley, Gregory (11 months).

One of Northwest Hospital’s Labor, Delivery, Recov-ery & Postpartum (LDRP) suites.

www.nwhospital.org Forafreephysicianreferral,call(206)633-4636or(800)633-4636

Thanks to the care of the Childbirth Center team, Krystle was able to carry her third child, Kara, for an unprecedented 35 weeks. Kara came into the world at Northwest Hospital on the evening of March 6 and is thriving.

pregnancy can make a tremendous difference in a baby’s long-term health.

Krystle remembers her second delivery as a tense time. “Kelsey was in a breech position. At five in the morning, Dr. Blackham comes running in with bed hair. He was able to successfully turn her, which saved us from having to have a C-section. She came at about noon, and went directly into the nursery for eight days.”

During her pregnancy with Kelsey, Krystle had been in the Childbirth Center three times before the birth. After the baby was born, she was able to stay in a room near the NICU as the baby got stronger. With each visit, she got to know the nurses a little better. “You’re emotional as it is,” Krystle says. “The nurses notice when you’re not having a good day, and they check that you’re doing okay.”

Lynch points to that as a benefit of childbirth care at Northwest Hospital. “Our labor, delivery, recovery and post-partum rooms, or LDRPs, give us the luxury of devel-oping close relationships with our patients. Unlike larger hospitals, where a woman might have treatment for prema-ture labor in one unit, deliver her baby in another and have post-partum care in yet another, we do all her care,” Lynch says. “That’s what makes my job here really special. I get to see my patients all the way through this important part of their lives.”

It turns out that Krystle isn’t the only one in her family to give birth prematurely. A few months after Kelsey’s birth, Krystle’s sister, Ashley Adkins, gave birth to her son Gregory, also in the Northwest Hospital Childbirth Center. He was

also premature, and Ashley and her husband Josh watched over Gregory in the NICU for 25 days. Jackson, an RN, says these long stays also help build the relationship between the extended family and the nursing staff. “I wouldn’t say it’s an unusual relationship,” Jackson says. “Most of us have a good bond with our patients. But it’s especially strong with this particular family.”

Last year, Krystle became pregnant for a third time and just as she had with the others, she went into early labor – this time in the 24th week. Over the next couple of months she was put in the hospital six times, and credits her doctor and nurses for helping her stay low-key during a very stressful time. “Dr. Blackham is very patient. I’d call him at night and tell him I was having contractions, and he’d advise me on what to do,” she says. “Then he’d call the following morning to make sure everything was fine.”

Dr. Blackham says Krystle was a good patient, who worked with her nurses as a team. Jackson adds that both Krystle and her sister were active in their own care, staying in-formed so they could make good decisions for themselves and their babies. Jackson also notes that Dr. Blackham and Krystle also seem to “mellow each other out” during tense moments.

Krystle sees the situation from the patient’s perspective. “The key is the compassionate care here at Northwest Hospital,” she says. “The nurses call you up, they recognize you if you come in to visit a friend, they ask me for pictures of the babies. It’s a family atmosphere here. It’s not just a baby that has come into the world. To them, it’s a family that’s being born, and they’re part of it.”

March/April2008 �

“It’s a family atmosphere here. It’s not just a baby that has come into the world. To them, it’s a family that’s being born, and they’re part of it.”

Tips for alleviating morning sickness:

Eat small meals often Drink fluids 1/2 hour before or after a meal, but not with meals Drink small amounts of fluids during the day to avoid dehydration Eat soda crackers 15 minutes before getting up in the morning Avoid foods and smells that increase nausea Ask someone else to cook for you; open the windows or turn on fans if cooking odors bother you

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Get plenty of rest and nap during the day Avoid warm places (feeling hot adds to nausea) Sniff lemons or ginger, drink lemonade or eat watermelon to relieve nausea Eat salty potato chips (they have been found to settle stomachs enough to eat a meal) Exercise

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Morning Sickness

Morning sickness, or the nausea and vomiting that often occurs in the first and second trimesters of pregnancy, is a fact of life for more than half of all pregnant women. Al-though the exact cause isn’t known, morning sickness could be the result of several fac-tors, including increased sensitivity to smells, noise, motion or light during pregnancy; hormone levels; or changes in the digestive system.

Source: American Pregnancy Association

� www.nwhospital.org Forafreephysicianreferral,call(206)633-4636or(800)633-4636

Main Campus 1550 N 115th StreetSeattle, WA 98133

Outpatient Medical Center10330 Meridian Ave NSeattle, WA 98133

(206) 364-0500, or toll-free at(800) NWH-HOSP (697-4677)

Visit www.nwhospital.org for information and directions.

Managing Editor Pam Sowers

Design/Layout Erin Dekker

Cover Photography ©Gary Benson Photography

MedInfo newsletter is published bi-monthly as a community service by the Marketing & Public Relations Department. To contact us about the newsletter, e-mail newsletters@nwhsea.org or call (206) 368-1645.

Use of FSC paper (see page 11) saved:

Calculations are based on research done by Stora Enso, Ink Systems and Color Graphics.

KING 5 Healthy Living Expo, April 19th & 20th, 2008 @ Qwest Exhibition Center, in downtown Seattle

Join us for the region’s biggest health and fitness event. Learn how to live a healthier lifestyle and have some fun! This year, Northwest Hospital is sponsoring the Health and Wellness Pavilion. Stop by for a full sched-ule of free seminars, screenings, demonstrations and activities. Admission to the Expo is free. Then, right next door . . .

The Seattle Diabetes Expo, April 19th & 20th, 2008 @ Qwest Exhibition Center West Hall in downtown Seattle

Free health screenings, diabetes advocacy, cooking and exercise demonstrations, work-site wellness, Ask the Expert, breakout sessions, Spanish translators and much more. Admission to the Diabetes Expo is free.

24th Annual ‘Swing Fore Your Life’ Golf Tournament, May 5, 2008Join us for an opportunity to play 18 holes at one of Puget Sound’s most beautiful private golf courses and help raise funds for the Northwest Hospital Foundation. A dinner and auction will follow the tournament. Net proceeds will support Northwest Hospital’s world-class programs and services. See you on the links! Call (206) 368-1647 for more information.

Save the Date

Golf Tournament & AuctionSeattle Golf Club

May 5, 2008

SWINGFOREYOURLIFE

trees68.8 fully grown

water29,248 gallons

energy 48.7 BTU’s

solid waste 3,236 pounds

greenhouse gases

6,372 pounds

aluminum 16 pounds

voc emissions

2.7 pounds

Community Classes at Northwest Hospital & Medical CenterTo find more classes and events, visit www.nwhospital.org.

March - May 2008

March/April2008 5

CANCER LIFELINE CLASSES & SUPPORT GROUPS Cancer Lifeline at Northwest Hospital classes and groups are free and open to the public. Call (800) 255-5505 or (206) 297-2500 for more information or to register. You can also register online at www.cancerlifeline.org.

Brain Cancer Support Group For people with a diagnosis of brain can-cer or brain metastases and their family and friends. No registration necessary. Second Tuesday of the month, 6:00-7:30 p.m., Professional Building, Ste #3.

Breast Cancer Support GroupFor breast cancer patients and survivors. No registration necessary. First and third Wednesdays of the month, 4:30-6:00 p.m., Professional Building, Ste #3.

Colorectal Cancer Support Group For people with a diagnosis of colorectal cancer and their family and friends. No registration necessary. First Wednesday of the month, 7:00-8:30 p.m., Profes-sional Building, Ste #3.

Lung Cancer Support GroupFor people with a diagnosis of lung can-cer and their family and friends. No reg-istration necessary. Second and fourth Thursdays of the month, 7:00-8:30 p.m., Professional Building, Ste #3.

Reclaiming Your Life This eight-week group is for survivors who are at least three months out from completion of cancer treatment. Intake interview and registration required.Call (425) 299-7753 for more informa-tion. Thursdays, 2:00-4:00 p.m.

Talk With A Lymphedema SpecialistJoin one of Northwest Hospital’s lymph-edema therapy staff members and learn about resources for lymphedema treat-ment and management. This presenta-tion is held prior to the Breast Cancer

Support Group. May 21, June 18, July 16; 3:30-4:00 p.m., Professional Build-ing, Ste. #3.

Belly DancingStretch and tone your entire body while having fun with the ancient art of belly dance. No experience necessary. Please register. Tuesdays, March 11 to April 22; May 6-June 24 and July 8-Aug 19; 6:00-7:30 p.m.

Gentle YogaCombines easy stretches, postures, guid-ed meditation and breathing exercises. Please register. Fine to start any time during the series. Wednesdays, May 7-June 25 and July 9-Aug 20, 6:30-8:00 p.m., 2nd Floor, McMurray Building, Cardiac Fitness Center.

Lebed Method, Lymphedema ExerciseThis gentle exercise program combines easy stretches, strengthening and aerobic movement with great music! Appropriate during or after cancer treat-ment and for anyone with (or at risk for) lymphedema. Please register. Saturdays, March 15 to April 26; May 10, 17, 31; June 7-28; July 12-Aug 16; 10:00-11:00 a.m.

CHILDBIRTH EDUCATION

Childbirth, parenting and new baby classes are offered in conjunction with Gracewinds Perinatal Services. All class-es are held on the Northwest Hospital campus. Please call Gracewinds Perina-tal Services at (206) 781-9871 or visit www.gracewindsperinatal.com/nwclass-es for scheduling and registration.

Childbirth Prep ClassesThe Basic Childbirth Prep class is a four-week intensive series that prepares expectant parents for labor and birth. Our curriculum blends elements of Lamaze, Bradley and Kitzinger methods.

The extended six-week series includes the Basic Childbirth Prep as well as the popular Newborn Care class and the Es-sentials of Breast-Feeding Basics.

Pre-registration is required. Full pay-ment is due at registration. Cost: Four Week, $115 per couple Six Week, $195 per couple

Childbirth Prep - Saturday SeriesPerfect for parents who need a class to fit their busy schedule. The same material that is covered in the four-week Basic course, consolidated into one Sat-urday. This class meets once each month from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Cost: $125 per couple

Newborn CareAn important class for first-time parents, this class focuses on newborn behavior. Topics range from diapering, cord care, sleep and feeding habits, to colic relief and changes that occur in newborn ba-bies. This is a part of the six-week Child-birth Prep series, or it can be purchased à la carte. Cost: $40 per couple

Infant Safety/CPRThis is a two hour course taught by a certified CPR instructor. Parents leave with the basic knowledge of infant CPR. This class does not include a certifica-tion card. Cost: $40 per couple

Breast-Feeding BasicsThis class is designed to educate parents on proper feeding techniques and posi-tioning. Cost: $40 per couple

Foundations for FatherhoodThis is a class for expectant dads. Taught by an experienced father, this popular course is formatted to address the issues of fathering. It provides the information and support to help fathers feel more involved and confident in the arena of birth and child-rearing. Cost: $30 per student

Community Classes at Northwest Hospital & Medical CenterTo find more classes and events, visit www.nwhospital.org.

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Comprehensive Education PackageThe Northwest Hospital Comprehensive Education Package includes: Basic Child-birth Prep series (4 week or Saturday series); Newborn Care; Breast-Feeding Basics; Infant Safety/CPR; and Founda-tions for Fatherhood. Cost: $245 per couple

EMERGENCY SERVICES EDUCATION

CPR TrainingLearn life-saving skills from Medic II personnel. Offered on the third Tuesday of each month, 7:00-10:00 p.m. Regis-tration required. To register, visit www.nwhospital.org and click on “Classes, Events & Support Groups” or call (206) 368-1564 for more information. Cost: Donations are greatly appreciated. Checks should be made out to Medic II CPR.

Brain Attack and Stroke: How to Act F.A.S.T.This class, presented by a paramedic and registered nurses, focuses on how to recognize the signs and symptoms of stroke and the steps to take. Acting FAST when stroke strikes can save a life. May 14, 2:00-3:30 PM, Lindsay Gould Audi-torium, Northwest Hospital. No registra-tion required. Call (206) 368-5897 for more information.

PRENATAL SERVICES

Baby Your BackBack pain is a frequent complaint of pregnant women and has many causes. Baby Your Back is a two-hour class for expectant mothers taught by a licensed physical therapist. It is offered the second Wednesday of every month at Northwest Hospital & Medical Center’s Outpatient Medical Center. Cost: $10. Call (206) 368-6032 to register. Health-care provider referral required.

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT GROUPS

Diabetes Support GroupJoin the diabetes instruction team to learn about and discuss topics such as: meal planning, blood glucose monitor-ing devices, weight loss, treatment for high and low blood sugars, medication management, dietary supplements, diabetes myth busters, monitoring for complications and what’s new in dia-betes research and technology. Second Tuesday of each month, 1:00-2:30 p.m.; and third Thursday of each month, 7:00-8:30 p.m. To register visit www.nwhos-pital.org and click on “Classes, Events & Support Groups” or call (206) 368-1564.

Mended HeartsFor cardiac patients, family members and health professionals. This group provides help in coping with the emo-tional aspects of recovering from heart diseases and an opportunity to offer personal insights to help others in the coping process. Third Thursday of each month, 7:00-9:00 p.m. Call (206) 368-15��.

Weight Loss Surgery Support Groups Ongoing, monthly support groups provide an opportunity to interact with other post-operative weight loss surgery patients and discuss the physical and emotional changes following bariatric surgery. Meetings are professionally guided. In addition, exercise support groups are offered monthly by a physical therapist. Support groups are open to patients from other practices and indi-viduals researching bariatric surgery. Call (206) 368-1350 for more information. No registration necessary. For dates, visit: www.nwhospital.org/services/bariatric_surg_support.asp. All bariatric surgery support groups are held in TCU Auditorium from 6:30 -8:00 p.m.

WELLNESS CLASSES

AARP Driver Safety ProgramAARP offers the popular Driver Safety Program for drivers 50 years old and old-er. Graduates may be eligible for multi-year discounts on their auto insurance. The class is offered on two consecutive Saturdays, March 22 and 29, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The classes will be held on the Northwest Hospital campus. A $10 fee is payable to AARP on the first day of class. Participants must at-tend both days of class to complete the course. To register, call (206) 368-1564 or call AARP at (888) 227-7669.

Living Well with DiabetesThis program has been formally recog-nized for excellence by the American Diabetes Association. Participants will gain information and skills to manage diabetes in this four session series of-fered monthly. Note: Physician referral is required for class. Day and evening classes available. For more information contact your physician, or call (206) 368-1564 to receive a brochure.

Weight Loss Surgery EducationIs weight loss surgery right for you? Join us for a free informational seminar to learn more about: weight loss surgery options and risks; patient selection crite-ria; nutritional requirements; and insur-ance coverage. Question and answer session follows each talk. All seminars are free and are held on the Northwest Hospital campus. Call (206) 368-1350 to reserve your space for seminars on March 18 and 27; April 10, 15, 24 and 29; and May 8, 13 and 20, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Yoga For People With Parkinson’sCall (206) 368-5935 for more informa-tion and to register.

March - May 2008

www.nwhospital.org Forafreephysicianreferral,call(206)633-4636or(800)633-4636

March/April2008 7

Medicine continues to change and evolve, and so does patient treatment. One of the newest innovations in patient care was born in the 1990s, when the term “hospitalist” was coined. Rather than having a private clinical practice, these physicians provide care only to patients who are in the hospital, many of whom are acutely ill. Hospitalists typically share the care of these patients with clinical physicians, who may have difficulty finding time to visit patients in the hospi-tal and direct their care.

“Usually, a hospitalist will see from ten to fifteen patients a day,” explains Dr. Eduardo Margo, co-medical director of the Northwest Hospital inpatient team. “Of those, typically two or three will be in the intensive care unit, while the rest are on the medical or surgical floors.” Hospitalists serve as the primary attending physician for internal medicine patients referred by local primary care providers, and admit patients from the ER who have no primary care providers. They also provide medical consultation for surgical patients. For example, if an elderly patient with a hip fracture gets admitted to the orthopedic unit, a hospitalist will provide medical consultation to manage other medical problems the patient may have, such as diabetes or hypertension.

The hospitalists also work with patients and their families on end-of-life care issues. “We know that transitioning a family member to hospice care can be a very difficult and emo-tional decision for families,” Margo says. “By being there for families, we try to make this process a little easier.”

Northwest Hospital provides 24-hour hospitalist coverage. Each hospitalist sees assigned patients each day, reviews lab and test results and discusses the prognosis and long-term treatment plans with the patient and family. The hospitalist works closely with nurses, physical therapists, social workers, dietitians and others involved in the patient’s care. Margo

says, “Part of our duty is to communicate with all members of the care team to coordinate and direct the treatment of the patient.”

The hospitalist’s job also includes discharge planning. “Fol-low-up care is the responsibility of the primary care physi-cian, but we try to ensure good communication between the hospital and that physician so the patient receives solid continuity of care.”

“Our mission as hospitalists is to provide the best medical care possible to our patients,” Margo concludes. “An inte-gral part of that is to recruit and retain excellent physicians for the hospitalist team, who share our vision of providing outstanding care to inpatients.”

For more information about the Inpatient Team at North-west Hospital, phone (206) 368-1811.

Hospitalists at Northwest Hospital: Raising the Bar on Inpatient Care

“Our mission as hospitalists is to pro-

vide the best medical care possible to our

patients. An integral part of that is to

recruit and retain excellent physicians for

the hospitalist team, who share our vision

of providing outstanding care to inpa-

tients.”

- Dr. Eduardo Margo

Why do people give to charitable organizations? There are probably as many answers to that question as there are organizations seeking charitable donations. Fundraising experts have identified a list of the leading reasons people give. The number two reason, behind because they were asked, which was number one, is because they believe in the organization’s mission.

Northwest Hospital & Medical Center is a community of caring health professionals, valued and recognized for promoting wellness through early detection and prevention, minimally invasive interventions and innovative clinical practices. Its mission is to raise the long-term health status of the community by providing personalized, quality care with compassion, dignity and respect.

The thing about reading mission statements is that they rarely inspire belief based on the words alone. The expression “walk the talk” implies that words alone are just that – words. Actions do speak louder than words and it is the words coupled with actions that inspire belief, confidence and trust. Northwest Hospital & Medical Center and the Northwest Hospital Foundation have been walking the talk from the very begin-ning.

For example, when construction of Northwest Hospital first began in 1959, Dr. Lindsey Gould personally tagged 53 dogwood and 4 white birch

trees on the campus grounds to be preserved, and advocated creating a warm and cheerful healing environ-

ment with rooms looking out to trees and rhododendrons. Regard-ing the hospital design itself, the State Department of Health commented

in 1957 that the plans were “far-sighted,” contained “many advanced concepts” and that the “end result should certainly be a truly remarkable hospital.” The emphasis on using natural beauty and innovative design to create a warm, healing environment for patients and their families was not fashionable back then but it certainly is today. North-west Hospital’s continuing commitment to maintaining a natural environment is evident throughout the campus, from the peaceful fountain plazas to blooming gardens, to well-groomed lawns and landscaping.

That real dedication to compassion and the importance of the patient’s experience was also evident in 1977, when the Northwest Hospital Foundation took on its very first project to raise funds for Hospice Northwest. The hospice movement, which began in England in 1967, was built on a simple concept – to provide a safe, comfortable place where terminally ill patients could receive end-of-life care and die with dignity, where their families could also receive support. As early as 1971, Northwest Hospital was already training its nurses on death and dying issues to foster “more compassionate and effective means of ministering to terminally ill patients and their families,” according to Kloshe Kumtuks, the hospital’s newsletter at the time. Northwest debuted its pilot hospice care program in 1979, and in 1985 became the first hospital-based hospice service in Seattle to have separate inpatient facilities.

The Northwest Hospital mission is to raise the long-term health status of our community by providing personalized, quality care with compassion, dignity, and respect. Our mission is to be recognized for promoting wellness through early detection and prevention, minimally invasive interventions and innovative clinical practices. You can believe it. We’ve been walking the talk from the start.

Our History of Caring

8 www.nwhospital.org Forafreephysicianreferral,call(206)633-4636or(800)633-4636

1550 N 115th St, MS D-141Seattle, WA 98133

(206) 368-1647 | www.nwhfoundation.org

How can you prevent deep vein thrombosis

Although blood clots can strike anyone, some people are at higher risk of developing deep vein thrombosis and its po-tentially serious complications. Those categories include be-ing obese or overweight; pregnant or recently post-partum; having congestive heart failure, a serious infection or recent surgery; a personal or family history of blood clots; being diabetic, inactive, a smoker or African-American. If you fit into one of these categories, here are some strategies for avoiding DVT that you should discuss with your primary care physician:

Modify your lifestyle: Walk and exercise more.

Change eating habits to help reduce excess weight or avoid gaining weight.

Stop smoking.

When traveling:Keep your legs moving, by flexing and extending the hips, knees and ankles periodically

If you’re traveling by plane, get up and walk around every two hours, and change position frequently in your seat

If you’re driving, schedule a rest stop every couple of hours

Wear compression hose to prevent swollen legs

Avoid dehydration

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March/April2008 9

Fighting Deep Vein Thrombosis

You don’t have to be on a long air trip to develop deep vein thrombosis, or DVT, although travelers are often reminded to move around to prevent it. You don’t even have to be in poor physical condition to have a blood clot form in one of the deep veins in the body. These clots, often found in the legs, are dangerous because they can break loose and travel through the bloodstream to the lungs. If a clot blocks the blood flow in an artery, forming a pulmonary embolism, or PE, it can starve the body of oxygen. Pulmonary embolism is a serious condition that can result in death.

According to the American Heart Association, up to two million Americans are affected annually by DVT. Of those who develop pulmonary embolism, between 60,000 and 200,000 will die -- more deaths than from breast cancer and AIDS combined. DVT can also cause long-lasting problems. It may damage veins and cause limbs to ache, swell, change color and even develop sores.

DVT and PE are highly treatable and preventable with proper and immediate medical care. Treatment for DVT usually involves taking anti-clotting medications called anticoagulants, such as enoxaparin, heparin and warfarin (sold under the brand name Coumadin). Heparin is given through a vein or as an injection. Warfarin is given as a pill. Treatment usually requires taking these medications for at least three months or longer, to prevent existing clots from growing and to prevent new clots from forming.

Staying active by moving or exercising the legs regularly also helps decrease the risk of DVT. Taking a walk each day, for example, or flexing and pointing your feet every 20 min-utes on long plane flights, can help. For those who are less mobile, compression stockings or other devices to maintain blood circulation are also good options.

The risk of developing DVT is particularly common among hospitalized patients, especially after surgery. DVT in the hospital can be caused by many factors, including trauma to the veins during surgery, IV injections or other interven-tions, changes in blood coagulation and circulatory prob-lems resulting from extended bed rest, frailty or immobility.

Several studies have made it clear that providing treatment to prevent DVT in hospital patients before it ever occurs can significantly decrease the number of patients who even-tually develop it, experience recurrences or have a pulmo-nary embolism.

In fact, more than 50 percent of surgical patients with a pre-vious history of DVT who do not receive preventative care will develop DVT after surgery. Nearly one in five surgeries results in DVT if preventative measures are not taken. That number increases to more than 50 percent in total hip and total knee replacement surgeries without preventative treat-ment. Spinal surgery, pelvic surgery and neurosurgery also place patients at particularly high risk of DVT.

Treating DVT preventatively is even more critical because more than 25 percent of patients with DVT don’t show

continued on page 10 . . .

Quality of Care

Northwest Hospital Health Tips

Health Tips are featured on Seattle’s Star 101.5 FM every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday at about 7:35 a.m. Tune in and start living a healthier lifestyle!

Tip # 1: Back PainIt’s one of the most common medical problems. About eight out of ten people have back pain, so chances are if your back hasn’t hurt you so far, it will someday. Back aches can be anything from a dull constant pain to a sudden, sharp one. Dr. Walter Trautman, pain specialist at Northwest Hospital, says the pain doesn’t necessarily come from an injury. Backaches can be caused by a lot of different reasons, from a herniated disk to a muscle strain. That’s why treating back pain is so complex, and why each patient has to be individually evaluated to find the cause and the right treatment. Dr. Trautman adds that most back pain will go away, but it may take a while. A chronic backache that sticks around for three months or more, or keeps you from your regular activities, calls for a trip to the doctor’s of-fice.

Tip # 2: Bored At The Gym?You’ve been trying to get to the gym a little more often, but, wow, does that aerobic routine get boring! After a few minutes on the treadmill, you can start feeling like a hamster on a wheel – going nowhere fast. Liz Dickson, exercise specialist at Northwest Hospital, says getting into shape doesn’t have to be dull. She suggests using your time on the treadmill or the elliptical trainer to get some basic aerobic fitness, and adding to it classes in belly dancing, water aerobics, dodge ball, boxing or hip-hop dance. Include some weight training in your workouts to tone your muscles, too. The point is to get clearance from your doctor, and then get out there and move. You’ll feel fit, you’ll look great and your heart and every other part of your body will thank you!

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any symptoms before a pulmonary embolism occurs, and by then it is often too late.

Northwest Hospital & Medical Center has an ongoing com-mitment to preventing DVT among hospitalized patients. Every inpatient is assessed for DVT risk. Medical staff members are intensively trained to recognize, evaluate, intervene and treat DVT and to collaborate on the care of each patient. Patients considered to be at risk are given preventative medication.

A special set of orders developed by a committee of North-west Hospital physicians, nurses and pharmacists guides the patient’s care team in applying appropriate prevention and treatment. Cora Espina, ARNP, a clinical nurse special-

ist at Northwest Hospital, says, “Medication, ambulation and equipment that help encourage blood circulation are all important. Here at Northwest Hospital, we use pneu-matic compression devices which are wrapped around the patient’s legs and periodically stimulate blood vessels to get blood back to the heart. These are used routinely on patients who are at high risk for DVT.”

Because DVT often recurs and can threaten patients even after they leave the hospital, Northwest Hospital staff ensures that discharge instructions are included to help patients and their families continue to treat or prevent DVT at home.

For more information on DVT, visit www.preventdvt.org.

www.nwhospital.org Forafreephysicianreferral,call(206)633-4636or(800)633-4636

Fighting Deep Vein Thrombosis, continued from page 9 . . .

In the Community

March/April2008 11

SOLID WASTE Over the course of 2007, the hospital recycled approximately 2,696 cubic yards of mixed paper, glass, cans, milk cartons, plant material, food waste and plastics. Over 627 cubic yards of shredded paper and 861 assorted printer cartridges were recycled. Overall, North-west Hospital removed more than 3,323 cubic yards of this type of material from the waste stream. Northwest Hospital & Medical Center also continued to work with an outside company to recycle or dispose of fluorescent lamps, bat-teries, hazardous waste and kitchen fat, with totals of 4,129 lamps, 1,998 pounds of batteries, 10,020 pounds of com-puter monitors and televisions, 10,300 pounds of kitchen fat and 14,210 pounds of hazardous chemical waste. Also, 501 tons of garbage were sent to the landfill.

Along with the institution of a new recycling program that turns hospital food waste into compost, the hospital’s Food

and Nutrition Services department reported a 6 percent reduction in the use of disposable dishware, due to changes made in service to patient rooms and in the cafeteria.

AIR QUALITY The medical waste incinerator on the Northwest Hospital campus was shut down in 1999, and the medical center continued to use an outside company for the disposal of the hospital’s medical waste. In all of 2007, the hospital generated 46 tons of combined medical waste.

CHARITY CARE In 2007, Northwest Hospital & Medical Center provided approximately $6.25 million in charity care and support to the community. Of that, $5.6 million were contributed to charity care and $600,000 to various community services such as, health education, senior pro-grams and donations to charitable organizations and school programs.

Report:Solid Waste, Air Quality, & Charity Care

The magazine you’re holding in your hands is a new kind of MedInfo – an important evolution in our efforts to deliver interesting and important health news to thousands of people in our community, while still being sensitive to the environment. From now on, MedInfo will be printed on paper certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). This certification shows that the trees from which this paper was made are a sustainable and re-newable resource. In the words of the FSC, the paper comes from “responsibly managed forests that protect water, soil and wildlife.” FSC certification helps Northwest Hospital publications take another step forward in reducing waste and environmental damage. It also means that people can continue to work and earn an income from our forests.

Using FSC-certified paper for just this one edition of MedInfo saved almost 70 trees and 29,248 gallons of water, and prevented the emission of 6,372 pounds of greenhouse gases.

And it’s not just the paper. The ink in this publication is different too. It is formulated to have significantly fewer volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, some of which can have negative health effects. Use of this ink eliminates about 16 pounds of VOCs a year.

We’re proud to be making a significant contribution to our environment, and will be looking for additional ways to become greener in the future.

A Change for the Better

Northwest Hospital continues to work toward becoming a greener medical center. The hospital reported to the community its waste management statistics for the first six months of 2007 in the September-October 2007 issue of MedInfo.

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Northwest Hospital & Medical Center has been awarded the 2007 HealthGrades Distinguished Hospital Award for Patient Safety and 2008 Awards for Excellence in Stroke Care and Back and Neck Care.

How long you sleep and how well you sleep are vital to overall good health. It’s estimated that about 70 million people have sleep-related problems. Of these, about 40 mil-lion suffer from actual sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea, insomnia, restless leg syndrome and others, most of which go undiagnosed and untreated.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, sleep is es-sential to helping maintain mood, memory, and cognitive performance. It also plays an important role in normal endocrine and immune system function. Recent studies show a growing link between sleep disorders and a variety of serious health problems, including obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and depression.

To help address the increasing incidence of sleep disorders, Northwest Hospital & Medical Center will open the doors of a newly constructed sleep center on its main campus this May. The Northwest Hospital Sleep Center will offer the most progressive diagnostic equipment and treatment avail-able, delivered by nationally recognized sleep medicine spe-cialists, including Sleep Medicine Associates. The new facil-ity will include eight private suites, and will offer patients all the comforts of home along with Northwest Hospital’s signature commitment to quality care and patient safety. Dr. Ralph Pascualy, a leader in sleep medicine, will serve as the center’s medical director.

“I am excited to work with Northwest Hospital to comple-ment its services with a state-of-the-art sleep center and a collaborative, multi-disciplinary approach to treating sleep disorders,” he says.

For more information on the Northwest Hospital Sleep Center, call (206) 368-1645. To find out more about sleep problems and disorders, visit the National Sleep Founda-tion Website at www.sleepfoundation.org.

Healthy Sleep TipsMaintain a regular bed and wake time schedule, including weekends.

Avoid caffeine and nicotine close to bedtime.

Avoid alcohol because it can lead to disrupted sleep.

Exercise regularly, but complete your workout at least 3 hours before bedtime.

Establish a regular relaxing, bedtime routine (e.g. reading in bed or relaxing in a hot tub).

Create a sleep-conducive environment that is dark, quiet, cool and comfortable.

If you think you may have a sleep disorder, talk to your doctor.

Source: National Sleep Foundation

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Northwest Hospital Helps Patients Sleep Easy