HealthSmart October 6, 2013

7th Annual HealthSmart Expo – Wednesday, October 9 –

Gainesville Civic Center7:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. – Wellness Expo with Free Health Screenings

7:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. – Kickoff Breakfast

Glucose • Cholesterol • Blood Pressure • BMI • Carotid Artery • Sleep Assessment Asthma, Hearing, Vision, Posture, Vascular Screenings

Flu Shots (minimal cost) • Free Flu Shots for Medicare Part B card holders

FREE Health Screenings!Open to the Public!

FREE Salad Lunch to the First 100 Health Screening Participants from 11:30 am - 1:30 pm!

Shuttle Available!Gainesville Civic Center

No Entry Fee!See List of Exhibitors Inside

– P l a t i n u m S p o n s o r s –

– Gold Sponsor –

– Silver Sponsors –

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2 Sunday, October 6, 2013 The Times, Gainesville, Georgia | gainesvilletimes com

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Sunday, October 6, 2013 3gainesvilletimes comThe Times, Gainesville, Georgia |

By Mary MacVeanLos Angeles Times

Ted Labuza ate sour cream two weeks past its due date. And lived to tell the tale.

Dana Gunders went to the market and found fat-free milk in quarts that had no date label; the half-gallons had a “sell-by” date. A container from a dif-ferent brand had a “best-by” date.

Even though nearly all consumers make some decisions about what to throw away based on those stamped dates, they cannot rely on them, said Gunders, food and agriculture staff scientist at the Natural Resources De-fense Council.

She is the coauthor of a report is-sued by the NRDC and the Harvard Food Law and Policy Clinic calling for changes to make the dates more use-ful. Currently, those dates are manu-facturers’ suggestions for when an

item is at its peak or are efforts to help stores manage their inventory — not indications of food safety, the report says.

Here’s what those labels mean, ac-cording to the report:

•“Bestby”or“bestifusedby”:Themanufacturer’s estimate of when the food will no longer be at highest qual-ity.

•“Useby”:Anestimateofthelastdate it’s at peak quality.

•“Sellby”:Themanufacturer’ssug-gested date to the grocer to no longer sell a product, based on the idea that it will still be good quality for a “reason-able” time if purchased on that date.

Still, more than 90 percent of Ameri-cans say they use those dates to de-cide whether to discard food, leading to tons of wasted food each year, the report notes.

“I don’t know of any data that con-suming a product beyond the date has

caused illness,” said Labuza, a profes-sor of food science and engineering at theUniversityofMinnesotawhohasstudied shelf life for decades.

His sour cream was OK because he keeps his refrigerator at 34 degrees. He recommends consumers let theirs go no higher than 40 degrees — and get a thermometer to make sure.

Even at that temperature, listeria can grow, he cautioned. But that is not related to those stamped dates. When food spoils, it might smell rot-ten, be slimy or soft or change color. Those are signs that food should be discarded, Labuza said at a news con-ference.

In addition, food that is improperly handled, at any point from field or fac-tory to table, can become a danger for illness, he said.

The NRDC report calls for revamp-ing the labels so that it’s clear what any dates mean.

“We need a standardized, common-sense date labeling system that actu-ally provides useful information to consumers rather than the unreliable, inconsistent and piecemeal system we have today,” said Emily Broad Leib, lead author of the report and director of the Harvard clinic.

AnofficialattheFoodMarketingInstitute agreed that changes are needed and said the industry is al-

Food ‘expiration dates’ don’t mean what you think

www.ngpg.org


Recognizing signs of PAD key to minimizing disease’s complications

By Suman Annambhotla, M.D.Vascular & Vein Specialists at The

Longstreet Clinic, P.C.Advertorial

It would be hard to find many people who don’t know that we’re in the midst ofBreastCancerAwarenessMonth,animportant tool to encourage the early detection of breast cancer.

However, most of those same people probably didn’t know that last month, September, marked peripheral arte-rial disease awareness month. You may even be asking, “What is peripheral ar-terial disease and why do I need to be aware of it?”

PAD is the most common type of pe-ripheral vascular disease, which refers to any disease of the blood vessels out-side of the heart and brain. PAD most of-ten is caused by a hardening or narrow-ing leading to blockage of the arteries in the legs associated with cholesterol deposits, also known as arteriosclero-sis. This narrowing restricts blood flow which can damage nerves and tissue in the legs and feet.

If left untreated, PAD can result in pain, wounds, gangrene and amputa-tion. Patients also are at a higher risk for stroke and heart attack. This is why it’s so important to be aware of the dis-ease’s signs.

There are a variety of symptoms as-sociated with the disease, which usu-ally starts with pain and discomfort in the calves or legs when walking that is only relieved by rest. This is called clau-dication. Over time, this fatigue occurs more quickly and with less and less ex-ertion. Other symptoms of PAD include hip and thigh pain, legs that feel cool to

the touch, non-healing wounds, as well as erectile dysfunction.

Those who smoke and have diabe-tes are at a very high risk of PAD. Even those who do not show any symptoms of PAD, but smoke and/or have diabe-tes, should be tested for the disease. The best way to lower the risk of PAD is to stop smoking, lose weight and gain control of high blood pressure and cho-lesterol. Your doctor will be able to talk to you about the specifics of what you should do to lower your risk.

When further treatment of PAD is necessary, your physician may refer you to a vascular surgeon. If symptoms have become severe, medication or surgery may be necessary. Balloon angioplasty and stent placement are two com-mon minimally invasive procedures designed to open blocked arteries and restore circulation back to the legs.

The balloon angioplasty procedure is performed to help open blocked ar-teries by expanding the inner diameter with a balloon mounted on a thin tube. Cardiologists will perform this same procedure in the coronary arteries around the heart while vascular inter-ventionalists perform this procedure in vessels outside the heart. Stents are used to help hold arteries open as an adjunct to balloon angioplasty.

In some circumstances, balloon an-gioplasty and stenting may not be suc-cessful or may not be an option. This can occur if the blockage in the artery is too long or diseased. In that situa-tion, vascular surgeons can perform open extremity bypass surgery. This involves using a segment of vein from the leg or arm, or using a graft (plastic tube) to create a new avenue for the blood to flow to the lower leg. This can be a robust and successful long term solution and can alleviate many of the symptoms described above.

At Vascular & Vein Specialists at The Longstreet Clinic, we are able to screen for peripheral vascular disease, includ-ing PAD, in our ICAVL-certified vascu-lar lab. We also are able to offer onsite treatment through our Vascular Access

Center, which allows our surgeons to perform a variety of procedures in an outpatient setting where patients can go home the same day.

According to the American Heart Association, peripheral artery disease affects approximately 8 million Amer-icans, as many as 1 in 5 Americans age 65andolder.Manycasesalsogoun-diagnosed because people do not un-derstand what their symptoms mean or they have no symptoms.

We encourage you to learn more

about PAD and the lifestyle changes you can make to potentially prevent it, as well as the disease’s signs and symptoms so that if necessary you or a loved one can receive appropriate treatment.

Suman Annambhotla, MD, is a vascular surgeon with Vascular & Vein Specialists at The Longstreet Clinic, P.C. Call 678-407-2000 or visit longstreetclinic.com/veins for more information.

For The TimesLocated within the offices of Vascular & Vein Specialists at The Longstreet Clinic in Gainesville, the Vascular Access Center allows surgeons to perform a variety of procedures in an outpatient setting where patients can go home the same day.

For The TimesThe recovery room inside Vascular & Vein Specialists’ state-of-the-art Vascular Access Center. Located inside the practice’s Longstreet Clinic offices in Gainesville, the access center allows surgeons to perform a variety of procedures in an outpatient setting where patients can go home the same day.


When it comes to your health, you want to be cared for by the best.The Longstreet Clinic, P.C., is committed to innovation in health care. By embracing compassionate, evidence-based standards of care, TLC consistently receives recognition from national organizations that recognize physicians and best practices for patient-centric, outcome-based medical care.

Recognized Excellence

• Received certification as NCQA Level 3 Patient-Centered Medical Home for 6 primary care practice sites

• Achieved NCQA recognition for Diabetes and Heart/Stroke care

• Earned QOPI and STAR certification for best practices in cancer care

• Recognized as one of Metro Atlanta’s Top Physician Group Practices by the Atlanta Business Chronicle

770-718-1122www.longstreetclinic.com

TLC is comprised of over 150 providers in 16 specialties with offices conveniently located throughout Northeast Georgia to include Gainesville, Buford, Braselton, Duluth, Dacula, Oakwood, Baldwin, Dahlonega, Demorest, Lavonia & Toccoa.

Internal Medicine • Pediatrics • Family Medicine • Obstetrics • Gynecology • Inpatient Medicine • General Surgery Oncology • Hematology • Physiatry • Orthopaedics • Sports Medicine • Neonatology • Perinatology • Neurology

Neurosurgery • Allergy, Asthma & Immunology • Vascular Surgery • Bariatric Surgery • Medical Weight Loss


Advertorial byGainesville Eye Associates

We can’t stress it enough — the best way to monitor your eyesight is to have an annual eye exam, especially as you grow older.

Mostpeopleseetheirprimarycarephysician once a year and their dentist once, or sometimes twice, a year. But eye sight is an area of your health that is often overlooked. A recent survey by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention showed that a third of adults over the age of 40 with moder-ate visual impairment believed they didn’t need a regular eye exam. Nearly 40 percent said they do not get annual eye exams because they are too costly or their health insurance does not cover the expense.

That’s a gamble you don’t need to be taking with your health. A comprehen-sive eye exam is more than a vision assessment; it is a medical exam. There are medical conditions that have an effect on your eyes such as diabetes and high blood pressure, and your eye doctor can detect these through a regular exam that is relatively inex-pensive.

Good eye health is beneficial to your overall health, too. If you have vi-sion problems, your risk of diabetes, hearing loss, heart problems, and high blood pressure is greater than some-one with good eye health. Of course, poor eyesight also increases the risk of accidents, falls and injuries.

Cataracts are one of the most common vision problems we see at Gainesville Eye Associates. Cataracts are a clouding of your eye’s natural lens that occur in people ages 55 years and older, though we’ve seen cases in people younger. In fact, half of all Americans have them—or have had cataract surgery—by age 80. Cataracts can make sharp objects appear blurry, make colors look dull, and cause trou-ble seeing at night.

The good thing is cataracts are

highly treatable, and the recent ad-vancement of bladeless laser cataract surgery has made it even more so. Laser surgery is safer, more accurate and offers a faster recovery. It also minimizes changes to vision, meaning fewer patients develop astigmatism or other vision problem after the surgery.

Plus, a recent study out of Australia shows that older adults who have cataract surgery live longer than those who don’t. While the associa-tion between cataract surgery and lower mortality risk is not clearly understood, possible factors include better physical and emotional well-being after surgery, as well as opti-mism, greater confidence with inde-pendent living, and a greater ability to comply with prescription medi-cations. Another possibility is that people with cataracts who did not have surgery could have other health problems that prevented them from undergoing surgery.

Keep a check on depth perceptionWhile cataracts are the most com-

mon age-related eye problems de-tected with an eye exam, another is-sue that affects our daily lives is the loss of depth perception.

We all rely heavily on depth percep-tion in all areas of our life whether it’s walking or driving.

Deteriorating depth perception can be a sign of a progressive eye disease

Depth perception is created by your eyes seeing separate images and your brain interpreting those images. Basically, it is a 3-D picture of your surroundings. To get an accurate im-age, your eyes must work properly together. If one eye is working better than the other, your brain will block the bad image and use the better one. In that situation, you are only seeing the image from one eye, which means you cannot judge distance or track moving objects as accurately. When your eyes are working together, your

brain combines the two images into one fluid image.

Symptoms of poor depth perception can include:•Generaldifficultywithspatial awareness.•Lackofperspectiveandthree-dimension in the environment.•Problemswithjudgingheights,dis-tances, and speeds.•Beingclumsyoraccidentprone.•Difficultycatchingaball.•Difficultywithstairs:needingto hold on, tripping up.•Difficultywithescalators:hesitating to get on or off, dizziness.•Overcautiousnesswhendriving, overtaking, parking.•Difficultywalkinginastraightline, walking into people.•Runningintofurnitureordoor-ways accidentally.•Difficultywithheightsorladders.•Knockingthingsoverordroppingthings easily.

If you suspect a problem, please see an eye doctor as soon as possible. Is-sues with depth perception can be treated with help from vision thera-pists or contact lenses and eyeglasses.

Vision changes with ageYou may already have noticed

changes in your vision. It usually be-gins in your 40s; seeing clearly when you are reading is probably the most common eye issue for adults between 41 and 60. This normal aging change in the eye’s focusing ability, called presbyopia, will continue to progress over time.

It’s gradual. You’ll have to hold menus or the newspaper farther away to see them clearly. Dim lighting will have an increased effect. Corrective lenses are used to rectify this.

Other changes to your eyes can start during this time that effect your eye health and the way you live. Cata-racts can develop so slowly that older

drivers may be unaware that their vi-sion is getting worse. That’s why it’s important to have a comprehensive eye exam annually to chart changes to your eyesight.

Some signs your eyes are changing:•Youneedmorelightorbrighter lights to read in your work area.•Theglarefromheadlightsorsunreflecting off windshields is stronger.•Youhavedifficultydistinguishing certain shades of color.•Yourtearglandsproducefewer tears.

Adults over 40 may be particularly at risk for the development of eye and vision problems if any of the follow-ing exist:

•Chronic,systemicconditionssuch as diabetes or high blood pressure. •Afamilyhistoryofglaucomaor macular degeneration. •Ahighlyvisuallydemandingjobor work in an eye-hazardous occupation. •Healthconditionslikehighcholesterol, thyroid conditions, anxiety or depression, and arthritis for which you take medications.Manymedications,evenantihis-tamines, have ocular side-effects.

As you grow older, don’t ignore changes to your eyesight. Stay on top of these changes with an annual eye exam.

Gainesville Eye Associates has of-fices in Gainesville, Braselton, Cornelia, Blairsville, Clayton, Hayesville, and Hia-wassee, along with consultation offices in Ellijay, Ga. and Franklin, N.C. To find out more about Gainesville Eye Associ-ates, or to schedule an appointment, contact their office today at 770-532-4444. You can also learn more about the services offered by Gainesville Eye Associates by visiting their website at www.gainesvilleeye.com and follow-ing them on Facebook (www.face-book.com/gainesvilleeye) and Twitter (@GainesvilleEye).

Regular eye exams a ‘must’ to maintain good health


www.gainesvilleeye.com


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10 Sunday, April 28, 2013 The Times, Gainesville, Georgia | gainesvilletimes com

By Kim V. Powell, MBA, CMPEAdvertorial

A stomach ache will make you seek out a physician, though sometimes deciding which physician or what kind of physician to go to will make your stomach ache worse. There are many options, and with the high cost of health care, you want to make the right decision the first time. Your pri-mary care physician (PCP) may be the first point of contact, especially if your insurance requires that you contact them prior to being seen by a specialist. Often, if you know what you need to be seen for, you can make an appointment with a gastroenter-ologist (GI) without needing to see a PCP first.

Gastroenterologists, such as the physicians of Gastroenterology Asso-ciates of Gainesville, are physicians who trained in internal medicine and received two to three years of addi-tional training related to the digestive tract. According to Dr. Neeraj Sharma, M.D.,“Agastroenterologist,bydefini-tion, is a physician who specializes in diseases of the stomach and small intestine. There are other organs that a gastroenterologist can evaluate, in-cluding the esophagus, colon, liver, and pancreas.”

Sharma went on to say, “A wide va-riety of diseases can affect these or-gans, and gastroenterologists undergo intense training and education in or-der to diagnose and treat these condi-tions. Abdominal pain, diarrhea, and rectal bleeding are just some of the symptoms that a gastroenterologist can help you with. Some of the more common disorders we diagnose and treat are reflux, Hepatitis C, cirrhosis, Crohn’s Disease, and ulcerative coli-tis.”

Colonoscopy and endoscopy are their main diagnostic tools of gastro-enterologists. Sharma noted, “Gastro-

enterologists can evaluate the esopha-gus, stomach, and small intestine, and the colon. Screening colonoscopy is used to look for and remove pre-cancerous polyps to prevent colon cancer, and gastroenterologists have proven to be the most experienced and proficient at this procedure. They can also perform advanced endo-scopic procedures to investigate the

bile duct and pancreatic duct, and en-doscopic ultrasound can evaluate the pancreas, as well as lymph nodes and other abnormalities around the diges-tive system.”

“Digestive issues are all we treat at Gastroenterology Associates,” noted Sharma, “and we are familiar with the discomfort and embarrassment that often accompanies digestive issues and are trained to deal with that.”

Colon cancer is the second leading cause of death among cancers and one of the reasons it is so predomi-nant is that individuals fail to go to see a gastroenterologist with bowel problems when they occur. Changes in bowel habits can be an indicator of something more serious. According to Sharma, “Your stomach ache may be trying to tell you something.”

Even if you are symptom free, every person should receive a colon screen-

ing at age 50. African-Americans have a higher chance of developing colon cancer so they should begin colon screenings at age 45. The best way to have a colon screening is to have a colonoscopy, as polyps can be re-moved if detected and biopsies taken if needed. A colonic polyp is a growth inside the wall of the large intestine that can often develop into cancer if

left untreated. This is the main reason that colon cancer is the second lead-ing cause of death among cancers. Pol-yps can grow undetected unless the individual has a colon screening.

Your colon screening should be performed by a gastroenterologist. A gastroenterologist performs 400-500 colonoscopies during training — before they even begin working in an office. Colon cancer is too great a disease to risk having anyone but a gastroenterologist, who is especially trained to detect issues, perform your procedure.

Not everyone who has stomach ail-ments needs a procedure. Often, heart burn or constant belching may inter-fere with your daily life, and it also may cause damage you cannot see. A gas-troenterologist can help you treat this as well. Heartburn or gastroesopha-geal reflux disease (GERD) is caused

when stomach acid rises up into the esophagus and causes burning and ir-ritation. Stomach acid is erosive to the esophagus and over time can eat away the lining. Esophageal cancer can also develop from this. The burning and pain you feel is your body trying to tell you something.

So when your stomach hurts, you have heartburn or it’s time for your colon screening, don’t make it worse by trying to figure out whom to go to, look for Gastroenterology Associ-ates of Gainesville. They are specially trained to find the source of your problem, treat you and help you get better. It is important to get treated by the physicians who are especially trained to treat stomach problems – a gastroenterologist.

Why see a gastroenterologist?

Colon cancer is the second leading cause of death among cancers and one of the reasons

it is so predominant is that individuals fail to go to see a

gastroenterologist with bowel problems when they occur.

““ Main Office

2324 Limestone OverlookGainesville, GA 30501

Demorest OfficeLocated inside the Jones Clinic638 Historic Hwy. 441 NSuiteB•Demorest,GA30575

Braselton OfficeLocated inside the River Place Medical Plaza 5875 Thompson Mill RoadSuite310•Hoschton,GA30548

Dawsonville OfficeLocated inside Medical Plaza 400108 Prominence CourtDawsonville, GA 30534

Lavonia OfficeLocated inside the Physician’s Center of Ty Cobb Regional Medical Center355 Clear Creek Pkwy.Suite 1007Lavonia, GA 30553


Gastroenterology Associates of Gainesville is the largestgastroenterology practice in Northeast Georgia.

Our highly qualified physicians utilize cutting-edge technology to diagnose and treata wide variety of disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, liver, pancreas, and gallbladder.

Many people find discussing concerns related to the digestive tract embarrassing.Our physicians and staff understand the sensitive nature of digestive problems

and are specially trained to handle any questions and concerns.

Exceptional Medical Care with a Human Touch

Main Office2324 Limestone Overlook

Gainesville, GA

Braselton Office5875 Thompson Mill Rd., Suite 310

Hoschton, GA

Habersham Office396 Historic 441 N.

Demorest, GA770-536-8109

Toll Free1-877-683-9410 www.GastroGainesville.com

We ARE the experts.

Lavonia Office355 Clear Creek Pkwy., Suite 1007, Lavonia, GA

Dawsonville Office108 Prominence Ct., Dawsonville, GA

www.gastrogainesville.com


By Jim LandersThe Dallas Morning News

Identity theft is the fastest-growing crime in America, and the theft of medical identities is a key part of the problem. Once a crook has that insurance card, Medicare or Medicaid number,investigators say, it is fairly simple to bill for fictitious services ren-dered.

An estimated 313,000 Ameri-cans will have their medical iden-tities stolen this year, according to arecentstudybytheMichigan-based Ponemon Institute, bring-ing the total number in the last few years to 1.84 million.

Those numbers can be doubled overnight if hackers break into the quickly growing medical da-tabasesaroundthecountry.U.S.hospitals and medical centers have been hit by 56 hacking at-tacks in the last four years. A hacker traced to Romania lifted identities and other information from780,000patientsinUtah’sMedicaidfilesin2012.

“Medicalidentitythefthasthepotential to impede your medi-cal treatment and the potential to kill you,” said Robin Slade of theMedical IdentityFraudAlli-ance. “A thief using your identity may have a different blood type, or not have the same allergies. It’s a fraud that causes your medical record to get contaminated by a perpetrator.”

Often the thefts start small. CEO Larry Ponemon of the Ponemon Institute said about a third of the people whose identities are stolen have admitted that they shared the information with a family member or a friend who lacked health insurance.

“It’s looked on as a Robin Hood crime, where a family member in need takes the ID and is treated

for an illness,” Ponemon said.The resulting treatment goes

into the record of the ID owner, however, where it can complicate future medical care — and create expensive liabilities.

“Customer liability is limited in credit card fraud, but nothing like that exists in the health care space,” Ponemon said.

People working in doctor’s offices or hospitals have down-loaded patient identities onto thumb drives to enrich them-selves by selling the information on black markets — on the street or in Internet chat rooms.

A federal judge in Florida be-came a witness for the prosecu-tion after his medical identity was stolen this way and used to file in-surance claims for two prosthetic legs. The judge testified that he had not made the claims because he had both of his legs.

MedicalIDthievesdon’tneedwealthy targets to pull off lucra-tivescams.PeoplewithMedicaidorMedicarenumbersareattrac-tive as well. One of the biggest al-legedMedicarefraudsinvolvedaDallas nurse who recruited medi-cal identities from homeless peo-ple at a shelter.

What worries federal and pri-vate insurance investigators most, however, are hackers. Seven thou-sand patient identities were com-promised last year by a hacker at the University of Houston’sCollege of Optometry. In 2010, a hackerbrokeintotheUniversityof Texas at Arlington’s Office of Health Services data. The names, addresses, diagnostic codes and medications of an estimated 27,000 students were affected.

TheUtahMedicaidhackingwasthe biggest so far. A hacker broke intothestate’sMedicaidserverand took files containing 280,000 Social Security numbers, and

names, addresses and so forth on an estimated half a million other state residents.

The break-in was traced to an Internet address in Romania, but there the trail went cold, said Tom Hudachko, a spokesman for the UtahDepartmentofHealth.

Utahsetupaspecialresponseoffice for anyone who detected suspicious activity in their medi-cal records and a new state office of health data security. So far, how-ever, no one has been detected using the stolen information, Hu-

dachko said.To make sure they haven’t been

victimized, consumers should check their medical records and watch their insurance statements for any strange activity.

“It can be so easy to steal this information, and it can take so long to discover it, that tens of thousands of fake medical claims can get paid before anybody gets wise,” said Jim Quiggle, commu-nications director for the Coali-tion Against Insurance Fraud, an industry group.

Theft of medical identities a growing problem


July 2013

GAINESVILLE HEART AND

VASCULAR GROUP PAGE 12FEATURING

July 2013

North Georgia’s Health & Prevention Magazine

IN THIS ISSUE

• Digital Xrays

New technology with a lot less

radiation... page 2

• Back to School

What this time of year means to the

local Health Department... page 8

• Women’s Health

NGMC earns national

consecutive top awards... page 14

CARDIAC SCORING

An approach to

determining the

condition of

your heart

Stay Informed. Stay Healthy.with North Georgia’s Health & Prevention Magazine

Your news. Your Times

HealthWatch is a quarterly health and prevention magazine that focuses on the local health care community with news,

changes and advancements in the medical field.

As a physician or member of the healthcare profession,

we invite you to advertise in HealthWatch, and to submit information and story ideas that would be of interest to our readers.

To place your advertisement, call us today!770-535-1199

www.gainesvilletimes.com


Advertorial

For the past 60 years, the phy-sicians and staff of the Northeast Georgia Diagnostic Clinic have been providing compassionate, innovative, quality healthcare to Gainesville and the surrounding communities of Northeast Georgia.

The Northeast Georgia Diagnos-tic Clinic continues to provide the latest and most advanced methods of medical care to our community.

In July of this year, a retail phar-macy was added to the list of ser-vices offered at NGDC. Diagnostic Clinic patients no longer have to make an extra stop on their way home from the doctor’s office. They can pick up their prescrip-tions before leaving our office. Our

pharmacy staff is knowledgeable, friendly and eager to provide you with the best possible care. We ac-cept all major insurance plans, and our pricing is competitive with all major pharmacy chains.

By the end of 2013, the North-

east Georgia Diagnostic Clinic will have grown into a practice of 34 physicians and 12 midlevel provid-ers.

Today, the Clinic offers care and treatment in the areas of general internal medicine, cardiology, en-docrinology, hematology, medical oncology, nephrology, pulmonary disease and rheumatology.

Northeast Georgia Diagnostic Clinic patients receive complete comprehensive care and enjoy ac-cess to these convenient in-office services.

•Cardiologyservices•Clinicallaboratory•Clinicalresearch•Cancercare•Diabetes and nutrition education

•Imagingservices•Retailpharmacy•Physicaltherapy•Pulmonaryfunctiontesting•Sleepmedicine

We continue to support the vi-sion of our community’s goal to become “HealthSmart” by encour-aging patients to have an annual health exam and preventative screenings.

Be sure to visit our booth at the Expo to receive a sleep assess-ment screening and to learn more about the physicians and services provided at Northeast Georgia Di-agnostic Clinic. For more informa-tion, please call 770-536-9864 or visit our website at www.ngdc.com.

Northeast Georgia Diagnostic Clinic offers new technologies, advanced care

www.ngdc.com


Advertorial byNortheast Georgia Medical Center

Jenny Ingram will never forget what it was like to hear those three words that changed her life – “You have can-cer.” In late 2010, when the results of a biopsy confirmed that a lump she noticed in the shower was breast can-cer, Jenny began her journey at The Cancer Center of Northeast Georgia MedicalCenter(NGMC).

“I couldn’t believe this was hap-pening to me,” said Jenny. “I have no medical history of breast cancer. It was all so new.”

As many people do when con-fronted with the news of cancer, Jenny began asking friends and con-fidants who had experienced cancer for physician recommendations.

“I spoke with a trusted friend whose wife had gone to Emory for a second opinion about her cancer di-agnosis, and her doctor recommend shestayatNGMC,”Jennyexplains.“So I came here.”

After undergoing a mastectomy at NGMCinDecember2010,Jennybe-gan a year-long chemotherapy treat-ment in January 2011. While cancer is a diagnosis no one wants to hear, Jenny looks back on her time at NGMCwithfondmemories.

“I met so many wonderful people during my time at the hospital. The fa-cilities are beautiful, and the Imaging Center is like a spa — so relaxing, es-pecially in such a stressful situation.”

AllthreeofNGMC’sImagingCen-ters (Gainesville, Braselton and Daw-sonville) are accredited by the Ameri-can College of Radiology and feature women’s imaging suites that com-bine a comprehensive range of breast imaging technologies with spa-like amenities such as warm robes and gourmet refreshments.

Jenny was also impressed by the qualityofcareshereceivedatNGMC,the only hospital in Georgia to be

named one of America’s 50 Best Hos-pitals (Healthgrades®) and one of the nation’s Top 100 Hospitals (Tru-ven®). She found the accolades to be well deserved.

“They have attracted higher qual-ity physicians, who in turn require top-notch nurses,” Jenny said. “That’s whatyoufindatNGMC.”

As anyone who has experienced cancer first-hand or watched a fam-ily member go through the process knows, a cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming. The healthcare pro-cess can be confusing, complicated by the fear of the unknown and the challenge of navigating the health-care system. NGMC offers patientnavigator services to help take cancer care beyond the clinical level — to the emotional level.

A patient navigator is someone who guides a patient through the healthcare journey. She helps sched-ule tests and appointments; com-municates with healthcare staff and providers; addresses logistical issues such as transportation needs; and helps patients understand complex medical terms and treatment options — all the while providing emotional support for their patients.

Jenny worked with Lisa Bridges, RN, BSN, CBCN, a certified breast health navigator who works exclusively withbreastcancerpatientsatNGMC.

“I met Lisa at my follow-up appoint-ment after being diagnosed. Before I met her, I didn’t know that patient navigators existed,” said Jenny. “Now, I can’t imagine going through this without her. Lisa was always there and always knew what was going on. I had no clue what to expect, but Lisa did, and she was there to hold my hand along the way.”

“A patient navigator is a saving grace. I know it sounds strange, but to see Lisa’s friendly face made all of the difference.”

In addition to offering education,

emotional support and care coordi-nationtoNGMC’sbreastcancerpa-tients as a patient navigator, Lisa also participates in the STAR Program® atNGMC(SurvivorshipTrainingandRehabilitation). The STAR Program is the nation’s first certification pro-gram to provide hospitals with the tools and training needed to mini-mize the debilitating side effects of cancertreatment.NGMCisthefirstand only hospital in Georgia that of-fers this turnkey approach to cancer — from diagnosis to treatment to re-habilitation.

Jenny had her last round of che-motherapy on Dec. 30, 2011 and is now in remission. This experience has given her a new outlook on life.

“In addition to my care team, my family, friends and faith were an im-portant part of my healing process. After going through chemo, I appre-ciate life — and the people in it — even more. Every day is a gift.”

Scheduling a mammogram is one of the greatest gifts you can give your family. The American Cancer Soci-ety (ACS) recommends women age 40 and older have an annual mam-mogram. Most insurance compa-nies cover screening mammogram costs. n fact, the ACS reports that one in eight American women will develop invasive breast cancer dur-ing their lifetime. Early detection of breast cancer through annual mam-mograms can lead to a greater range of treatment options, less extensive surgery and better treatment out-comes.

To schedule a mammogram at one ofNGMC’sthreeImagingCenters,call 678-745-5600 or visit www.nghs.com/ScheduleMammogram.Each location offers convenient ap-pointments to accommodate busy schedules. For more information aboutNGMC’scomprehensivecan-cer care, visit www.nghs.com.

Northeast Georgia Medical Center’s patient navigator is a “saving grace” to cancer patient

Lisa Bridges and Jenny Ingram


www.nghs.com/schedulemammogram

HealthSmart October 6, 2013

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Transcript of HealthSmart October 6, 2013