It’s No Joke—We Have Two New Doctors!

Jennifer Paisley, MD

April Fool’s Day may be tomorrow, but this announcement is certainly no joke: GRMC adds two doctors within one week of each other!

Jennifer Paisley, MD, internal medicine and pediatric specialist, started seeing patients on Monday, March 28, at Grinnell Regional Internal Medicine. Her primary focuses include internal medicine, pediatric behavioral and developmental delays, and medical weight management.

As a native of Grinnell, Paisley is enthusiastic about developing a community-wide program to address Poweshiek County’s obesity dilemma, which was labeled a high level priority in the community health needs assessment results.

In her free time, Paisley enjoys cooking, gardening, and spending time with her husband and two young children.

Elizabeth Tigges, DO, obstetrics and gynecology specialist, will begin seeing patients on Monday, April 4, at Surgical Associates. Her primary focuses cover the full array of women’s needs, which includes chronic pelvic pain and infertility, to obstetrics and gynecology.

Elizabeth Tigges, DO

Tigges plans to work with area primary care providers for obstetrical care, cesarean births, and gynecological care. Her office will be in Surgical Associates of Grinnell.

Outside of work, Tigges enjoys traveling, exercising, reading, and likes to spend time with her husband, friends, and family.

For more information about Dr. Paisley, please call Grinnell Regional Internal Medicine at 641-236-2382. For more information about Dr. Tigges, please call Surgical A

ssociates at 641-236-4323.

Making a Difference - it's What We Do

We invite you to check out the major changes at GRMC over the last three years. Donations to the Moving at the Speed of Life comprehensive campaign have built the Manatt Family Urgent Care clinic, created a new fitness center at Postels Community Health Park, and allowed us to invest in a state-of-the-art 64-slice CT scanner. Look at all the progress we have made and note that those are only a sample of the great things happening at GRMC!

The emergency department (ED) renovation is the last big project on our checklist. The support we’ve experienced from local donors has been amazing, and we are very close to meeting our $2 million goal. We recently received a second round of generosity from Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance Company. The company believes so strongly in keeping emergency services local that they have donated another $250,000 to help GRMC reach the $2 million mark.

Grinnell Mutual made this donation and simultaneously proposed a challenge. We hope this donation is a catalyst to encourage you to donate just a little more in order to reach $2 million. The company ponied up their funds upfront and now it’s time to raise at least $250,000 more.

We can do this—with your help! No one ever wants to have to go to the emergency room, but having it readily accessible—just in case—is crucial. We’re asking YOU to help us raise the money so we can have an excellent emergency department ready to meet the needs of our friends and neighbors. This project will modernize and renovate existing space that will provide up-to-date, private treatment rooms, new triage and registration areas, and expanded support space for physicians, nurses, and other providers. We have raised almost $1.7 million in gifts set aside for the emergency department renovation, to date.

The medical center is fortunate to have abundant support in our area. We have everyone from your next door neighbor to international companies like Grinnell Mutual donating to the ED project, because those donors recognize what a vital community resource the GRMC emergency department is. Help us make a difference for thousands of families and individuals across central Iowa; making a difference is what we do best.   

-Written by Heidi Ramaeker Pearson

Everyone Poops

People are often too embarrassed to talk about their bowel movements. We get it; it’s not exactly a popular watercooler conversation topic. However, the truth remains that everyone poops! And it’s important to remember that while talking about your trips to the toilet may not exactly trip your trigger, your stool holds many of the secrets of your internal health. Screening your stool for signs of colorectal cancer is a must.

March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Colorectal cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the United States and the second leading cause of death from cancer according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

While those are overwhelming statistics, there is good news! If individuals aged 50 and older received regular colorectal cancer screenings, six of 10 deaths caused by colorectal cancer could be PREVENTED!

We admit that no one really wants to have this discussion. But, reading the following information is the very least you can do to make the first steps toward making a healthy screening choice, according to your age and healthcare provider’s recommendations. 

Screening measures include:

• Stool DNA tests (sDNA) are tests that mainly find cancer, including:
• High-sensitivity fecal occult blood tests (FOBT)
• Guaiac FOBT (gFOBT): Approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to test for colorectal cancer.
• Fecal immunochemical test (FIT): Approved by the FDA to test for colorectal cancer.

All of these test the stool for hidden blood or other changes that may be signs of cancer. They are less invasive and easier to do, but are less likely to find polyps than other types of tests. Samples are collected by the patient using a kit, and the samples are returned to a doctor. A colonoscopy will be needed if results are abnormal. Studies have shown that if this test is performed every year or two by people aged 50 to 80 years, colorectal cancer deaths could be reduced by 15 to 33 percent.

Many people choose to “forget” about these important and potentially life-saving screenings because of the stories that circulate about the prep for a colonoscopy, or the nasty visuals featuring stool sampling nightmares. The reality is that while it’s not fun to collect a stool sample, the results could save your life.

• Tests that find both polyps and cancer include:
• Sigmoidoscopy
• A flexible, lighted tube with a viewing lens and removal tool is put in through the anus into the rectum and sigmoid colon.
• Tissue can be taken from any areas of concern and polyps can be removed.
• Studies have shown that people who are regularly screened with this method after age 50 have a 60 to 70 percent lower risk of colorectal cancer death than those that do not have the screening.

• Colonoscopy 
• A thin, lighted blue tube is put in through the anus and rectum and passed up into the colon to look for abnormal areas.
• Tissue can be taken from any areas of concern and polyps can be removed.
• Studies have shown that colonoscopies reduce colorectal cancer deaths by 60 to 70 percent.
• Double-contrast barium enema
• Barium is a substance that looks white on x-rays.
• It is put into the rectum through a plastic tube and fills the colon.
• A series of x-rays show the size of the colon and any growths or polyps protruding into the hollow space of the colon.
• CT colonography
• Air is pumped into the colon through a flexible tube.
• CT scans are then done.
• Special computer programs create both two-dimensional x-ray pictures and a three-dimensional “fly-through” view of the inside of the colon and rectum, which lets the doctor look for polyps and cancer.

The gold standard remains that a colonoscopy should be performed after age 50. Talk to your healthcare provider to decide which colorectal cancer screening tool is best for you. You could literally be sitting on the most important discovery of your life. Don’t ignore it. Remember, colorectal cancer is preventable, treatable, and beatable.

Grinnell Regional Public Health has Guaiac FOBT kits available. To find out more about the availability of colorectal screening kits, please call Grinnell Regional Public Health at 641-236-62567.

Sources:

http://www.cancer.gov/types/colorectal/screening-fact-sheet

https://healthfinder.gov/nho/MarchToolkit.aspx

Savor the Flavor

March is National Nutrition Month, and time to “Savor the Flavor of Eating Right!” Since no single diet is ideal for everyone, focus on a healthy eating pattern that works for YOU. Select an eating pattern packed full of tasty foods that you enjoy, while providing a variety of nutrients that help prevent or manage chronic disease and help you feel your best.

Take time to enjoy traditions that are important to you and to appreciate the pleasures, great flavors, and social experiences that food can add to your life. A healthy, mindful eating pattern should involve nutritious and flavorful foods, including:

• Fruits – Choose unsweetened fresh, frozen, dried, or canned fruits and 100 percent fruit juice.
• Vegetables – Choose fresh or frozen veggies (without additional sauces, fats, or salts). Choose veggies of many colors (red, orange, yellow, green, and purple).
• Whole grains – Choose foods with higher fiber content, like dried beans, peas, and lentils; whole grain bread, pasta, and crackers; corn tortillas; brown and whole grain or bran cereals.
•  Low-fat or fat-free dairy – Choose low-fat or fat-free milk or yogurt; low-fat or fat-free dairy substitutes (calcium fortified soy milk).
• Lean proteins – Choose fish and poultry more often. Select lean cuts of beef, veal, pork, or wild game. Enjoy meatless meals, including protein sources like beans, tofu, nut butters, veggie burgers, eggs, or cheese.
• Heart healthy oils – Choose polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats, such as olive or canola oil, instead of saturated or trans fats.

Consider trying meals that use foods from all of the food groups, such as:

• Baked salmon (drizzled with fresh lemon juice) or chicken breast (seasoned with thyme and black pepper)
• Brown rice
• Steamed broccoli (seasoned with olive oil, garlic, and lemon juice)
• Glass of low-fat milk
• Strawberries
•  Flank steak (grilled with olive oil, rosemary, and pepper)
• Salad (with a variety of fresh vegetables and an olive oil based salad dressing)
• Whole grain bread
• Low-fat vanilla Greek yogurt (topped with raspberries and blueberries)
• Whole grain toast (topped with an egg scrambled with diced tomatoes, spinach, basil, and parsley)
• Fresh pear
• Glass of low-fat or fat-free soy milk

Remember to include physical activity for at least 30 minutes every day. Consider checking out the Paul W. Ahrens Fitness Center for membership information and ideas about how to increase your physical activity. Call today at 641-236-2999.

-Written by Lily Swedenhjelm, RD, LD, GRMC dietitian

Cardiac Rehab

February is Heart Health Month. It presents an opportunity for healthcare providers to send messages about ways to prevent heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States according to the American Heart Association (AHA). But what if it’s too late for prevention? What if you’ve already experienced a cardiac event like a heart attack, or have been diagnosed with a form of heart disease, or have had heart surgery? When prevention is no longer the concern due to one or more of those reasons, cardiac rehabilitation is available to you.

The AHA defines cardiac rehabilitation (cardiac rehab) as a professionally supervised program to help people recover from heart attacks, heart surgery, and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) procedures such as stenting and angioplasty. Cardiac rehab programs usually offer exercise and educational tools to help heart patients increase physical fitness, reduce cardiac symptoms, improve health, and reduce the risk of future heart events, including heart attack.

At GRMC, the cardiac rehabilitation department offers a Phase II program that provides exercise and educational instruction to patients with heart disease. This service is offered to outpatients. The Mayo Clinic suggests that core components of the Phase II program may include:

• Baseline patient assessment.
•  Nutritional counseling, risk factor management (lipids, hypertension, weight, diabetes, and smoking).
• Psychosocial management.
• Physical activity counseling.
• Exercise training.

Phase II Cardiac Rehab at GRMC is open to patients who have experienced a heart attack, coronary artery bypass graft, patients with stable chest pain, heart valve replacement, stent placement, and other cardiovascular diseases immediately after discharge from the hospital.

For information on cardiac rehabilitation at GRMC, call 641-236-2411 or email the cardiac/pulmonary rehabilitation nurse at crstaff@grmc.us.

Sources:

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/More/CardiacRehab/What-is-Cardiac-Rehabilitation_UCM_307049_Article.jsp#.VsXaMPkrLcs

http://mayoclinichealthsystem.org/locations/austin/medical-services/cardiovascular-rehabilitation-and-services/cardiac-rehabilitation-phase-2

Show Your Heart Some Love

February: the month of love, valentines, and hearts…heart health, that is. February is Heart Health Month, and it’s about time we Americans showed our hearts a little TLC.

According to the American Heart Association, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States with approximately 2,200 deaths every day. 2,200 deaths a day equates to 803,000 each year. Those are disheartening statistics, but take heart; there are ways to prevent heart disease!

Prevention begins with:

• Choosing a healthy eating plan.
• Being physically active.
• Learning the warning signs of a heart attack and stroke.
• Stopping tobacco use. Tobacco usage is directly linked to heart disease, cancer, and many other conditions.
• Reducing stress in your life.
• Knowing your heart health.

Knowing your heart health begins with a conversation between you and your primary healthcare providers. With the Affordable Care Act, insurance carriers must cover preventive screenings for cholesterol and high blood pressure without the subscriber having to pay a copayment or co-insurance or meet the deductible. This applies only when these services are delivered by a network provider. Medicare Part B and Medicaid in Iowa cover screening blood screening tests for cholesterol, lipid, and triglyceride levels every five years, when ordered by a physician, to help diagnose and prevent a heart attack or stroke.

Follow the recommended screenings for your age and gender, including your heart health screenings. Grinnell Regional Public Health has free blood pressure screenings every Thursday, from 1 to 2 p.m. in the Light Center for Community Health. However, the medical center will no longer host a public cholesterol screening in February, due to the expanded insurance coverage of screenings from the ACA legislation.

Take some time to show your heart some love during Heart Health Month. For more information about local resources, call the GRMC Wellness Services department at 641-236-2999, or speak with your primary care provider.

Source:

https://www.goredforwomen.org/home/about-heart-disease-in-women/research/

Wear Red to Save Lives

Every year on the first Friday of February, the American Heart Association (AHA) draws national public awareness to National Wear Red Day®. This is to draw attention to the two leading killers of women – heart disease and stroke.

The Mayo Clinic describes heart (cardiovascular) disease as conditions that involve narrowed or blocked blood vessels that can lead to a heart attack, chest pain (angina), or stroke. Other heart conditions, such as those that affect your heart's muscle, valves, or rhythm, also are considered forms of heart disease.

According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, heart disease is caused by smoking (including secondhand smoke), high amounts of certain fats and cholesterol in the blood, high blood pressure, high amounts of sugar in the blood due to insulin resistance or diabetes, or blood vessel inflammation. A stroke occurs if the flow of oxygen-rich blood to a portion of the brain is blocked. Without oxygen, brain cells start to die after a few minutes. Sudden bleeding in the brain also can cause a stroke if it damages brain cells.

Statistics from the American Heart Association show that one of every three female deaths in the United States is caused by heart disease or stroke. About 2,200 Americans die from heart disease, stroke, or other cardiovascular diseases every day. That is one death every 39 seconds! The time has come to recognize the serious risks these diseases pose. Join the AHA, GRMC, and the nation by wearing red on Friday, Feb. 5, to raise awareness. ‪

#‎GRMCCares ‪#‎NationalWearRedDay #HaveAHeart

Sources:
http://www.cdc.gov/dhdsp/data_statistics/fact_sheets/fs_women_heart.htm

https://www.goredforwomen.org/home/about-heart-disease-in-women/research/

https://www.goredforwomen.org/home/get-involved/national-wear-red-day/

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Affiliate/13th-Annual-National-Wear-Red-Day_UCM_456034_Event.jsp#.VrI-4bIrLct

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-disease/basics/definition/con-20034056

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/hearttruth/lower-risk/what-is-heart-disease.htm