Northeast Baptist Hospital News and Events - Baptist Health System

You're Invited to Baptist Stroke Awareness Day

Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Enjoy fun park activities and get free health screenings, information and stroke education.

Healthy Cooking Demo

Salsa/Zumba Classes

Fishing on the Wharf

Chair Yoga

Dancing to the Oldies

"Ask the Doc" with Dr. Gordon

"Ask the stroke survivor" booth

Framingham 10-Year Stroke Risk Test

The first 350 people get in free.�

Put time on your side with the Baptist Stroke Team.
If you or someone you know is having a stroke, don't wait, call 911 immediately and get to a Baptist hospital.
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When:

Time:

Location:

Friday, May 25

10�a.m.� - 2 p.m.
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Morgan's Wonderland
5223 David Edwards Drive
San Antonio, Texas 78233
Maps & Directions

The Creative Aging Center at Northeast Baptist Hospital

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Focused on the art of living well for our older citizens.

Baptist Health System is taking a leadership role in South Texas in bringing innovative programs on health and wellness to the communities we serve. Our latest launch is the Creative Aging Center, a place where our� neighbors who have earned that special place in life can enjoy the rewards of their later years.

Our center will offer a full range of education, wellness and clinical programs designed to extend active lifestyles and independence for aging citizens. From specially crafted exercise and nutrition programs to onsultative services and treatment options, our center is designed to help improve and prolong healthy lifestyles.

Our health care teams specialize in managing issues that become more common as we age such as: arthritis, dementia, depression, diabetes, falls and immobility, incontinence, memory loss and osteoporosis. Our Centers of Excellence and nationally recognized programs throughout the Baptist Health System provide solid support for aging:

• Center of Excellence for HIP and KNEE replacements
• STROKE certification
• Chest Pain Accreditation
• Geriatric Psychiatric unit
• Bariatrics Center of Excellence
• Private Cardiovascular Unit
• Fragility Fracture Clinic
• Breast Center located at North Central Baptist Hospital
• Robotically-assisted surgery - Urology, Gynecology, ENT, Thoracic, Bariatric and General Surgery

Attend A Free Joint Seminar Near You

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Join Baptist Health System and our featured speakers for a free seminar and learn everything there is about joints.

The seminars will take place through May. At each seminar, dinner will be served at 5:30 p.m. and the presentation will begin at 6:00 p.m. These seminars are free, but registration is required. Call 297-7005 to hold your spot today!

Joint Pain, NO Longer! Solutions to your pain
with Dr. Michael Earle
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
5:30 p.m. Dinner
6:00 p.m. Presentation
Northeast Baptist Hospital

Joint Pain, NO Longer! Solutions to your pain
with Dr. Sergio Viroslav
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
5:30 p.m. Dinner
6:00 p.m. Presentation
Mission Trail Baptist Hospital

What are Your Options for Joint Replacement?
with Dr. Ty Goletz
Monday, May 21, 2012
5:30 p.m. Dinner
6:00 p.m. Presentation
St. Luke's Baptist Hospital

Tackle Your Hip and Knee Joint Pain Today!
with Dr. Greg Gordon
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
5:30 p.m. Dinner
6:00 p.m. Presentation
St. Luke's Baptist Hospital

Why Rehab is Necessary for Your Joints
with Dr. Alasdair Goldstein
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
5:30 p.m. Dinner
6:00 p.m. Presentation
St. Luke's Baptist Hospital

These seminars are free, but registration is required. Please call (210) 297-7005 to register.

Physician Disclaimer

New Hi-Tech "Mesh" Helps Hernia Patients Get Back on Their Feet Fast

Thu, 07 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Watch the News Coverage

Hernia repair is one of the most common surgical procedures performed in the U.S. Many people put off the surgery because of the recovery time. A new surgical mesh being used at the Baptist Hernia Center can be implanted with only a few small incisions and is drastically shortening recovery time.

A hernia is an opening in the muscles of the abdomen. They can cause bulging and pain. 53-year-old Dr. Landon Wellford suffered a hernia while trying to keep up with his 17-year-old son in the weight room. "I told him, 'move over. I'll show you how it's done,'" says Wellford. "But when I went to push up the weight. oh my, I felt the hernia pop just like that."

Wellford went to Mike Albrecht, M.D. at the Baptist Hernia Center to have his hernia fixed. "I'm a cardiologist, so I know where to go for the best," says Wellford.

Albrecht used a new kind of mesh called PhysioMesh to patch the problem. It's made out of a thin material that mimics the body's natural tissue and allows the lining of the abdomen to actually grow into it. "The mesh covers the hole and reinforces the area," says Albrecht.

Wellford had the outpatient procedure on a Friday and was back at work the following Monday, and says he only took three Tylenol for pain. Normal recovery for hernia surgery can be up to six weeks. The surgeons at the Baptist Hernia Center aim to have their patients back to normal activities in only two weeks.

For more information on The Baptist Hernia Center, located at Northeast Baptist Hospital, 8811 Village Dr., call 297-7005.

Save a Life, Learn CPR at the Northeast Baptist Hospital

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Enroll in our Heartsaver CPR training class and learn adult, child and infant CPR, and how to use adult and child AED (automated external defibrillator).

Heartsaver is an American Heart Association credentialed course for lay persons. A Heartsaver-AED card will be issued to all registrants who complete the course.

Class size is limited and registration is required.Please call the CPR Registration line at (210) 297-2340.

Upcoming Classes

Saturday, July 16, 2011 - call 210-297-2340 to register
9am -12pm
Northeast Baptist Hospital
MICU Classroom
8811 Village Drive
Maps & Directions

Saturday, August 20, 2011 - call 210-297-2340 to register
9am -12pm
Northeast Baptist Hospital
MICU Classroom
8811 Village Drive
Maps & Directions

Saturday, September 17, 2011 - call 210-297-2340 to register
9am -12pm
Northeast Baptist Hospital
MICU Classroom
8811 Village Drive
Maps & Directions

Saturday, October 15, 2011 - call 210-297-2340 to register
9am -12pm
Northeast Baptist Hospital
MICU Classroom
8811 Village Drive
Maps & Directions

Saturday, November 19, 2011 - call 210-297-2340 to register
9am -12pm
Northeast Baptist Hospital
MICU Classroom
8811 Village Drive
Maps & Directions

Saturday, December 10, 2011 - call 210-297-2340 to register
9am -12pm
Northeast Baptist Hospital
MICU Classroom
8811 Village Drive
Maps & Directions

Saturday, July 16, 2011 - call 210-297-2340 to register
9am -12pm
Northeast Baptist Hospital
MICU Classroom
8811 Village Drive
Maps & Directions

Please note: This CPR course is designed for laymen and not for health care providers. Click here for health care provider classes.

Avoiding Fragility Fractures - Your Life May Depend on It

Mon, 11 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT

More than 353,000 people are hospitalized for hip fractures each year. The total cost in medical bills and lost income resulting from hip fractures is more than $12.6 billion a year or an average of $37,000 per hip fracture. Close to ninety percent of hip fractures are among persons 65 and older. Women over age 65 have a one in five chance of having a hip fracture during their lifetime.

Who is vulnerable to a fragility fracture?

Age. The rate increases for people 65 and older.
Gender. Women have two to three times as many hip fractures as men.
Heredity. A family history of fractures in later life, particularly in Caucasians and Asians.
A small-boned, slender body.
Nutrition. A low calcium dietary intake or reduced ability to absorb calcium.
Personal habits. Smoking or excessive alcohol use.
Physical impairments. Physical frailty, arthritis, unsteady balance and poor eyesight.
Mental impairments. Senility, dementia, e.g., Alzheimer's disease.
Weakness or dizziness from side effects of medication.

Reducing Your Risk of Fractures

Get regular exercise. Try walking, swimming, or weight training.
Make your home safe to avoid accidents.
Eat foods that are rich in calcium, or take calcium supplements.

Things to Avoid

Alcohol is toxic to bones. It is a major cause of bone loss. Heavy drinking can cause osteoporosis even if you have no other risk factors.
Smoking reduces bone mass. Smoking may also interfere with estrogen levels and cause early menopause.
Inactivity makes your bones lose strength and become thinner. Over time, thin bones may break. Women who aren't active are at a high risk for osteoporosis.
Certain medications such as cortisone increase bone loss. They also decrease bone growth. Ask your healthcare provider about any side effects of your medications.
Protein-rich or salty foods eaten in large amounts may deplete calcium.
Caffeine increases calcium loss. People who drink a lot of coffee, tea, or colas lose more calcium than those who don't.

Northeast Baptist Hospital is committed to helping prevent fragility falls. Here are some of the steps they take for our patients in the hospital:

Check vitamin D and calcium levels
Give 50,000 IU of vitamin D immediately to all elderly patients
Prescribe calcium (1200 mg daily)
Prescribe vitamin D (minimum of 1000 IU daily) upon discharge from the hospital
Refer to Physical Medicine or Physical Therapy for fall-prevention education
Refer for a home-safety check
Include a plan to identify causes of osteoporosis, obtain bone density testing, and initiate osteoporosis medications if appropriate

"We Attract the Best!" Magnet Nursing Program Launches

Mon, 11 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Northeast Baptist Hospital kicks off a journey toward Magnet Nursing designation.

Nurses, doctors and hospital staff gathered for the unveiling of plans to move nursing at the hospital to a 2013 Magnet Accreditation by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).

Magnet is the gold standard for nursing excellence. Magnet recognized organizations provide the very best in nursing care, clinical outcomes, and professional nursing practice. Magnet hospitals have lower turnover rates, increased nurse and physician engagement, increased morale, and are known to attract and retain the best quality staff and physicians.

Northeast Baptist Hospital is the first in the Baptist Health System to go for Magnet nursing status. Other Baptist hospitals are expected to begin the journey as well.

Interested in joining our team? Find your career at Baptist..

Northeast Baptist Hospital Offers New Medical Device to Treat Aortic Aneurysms

Thu, 03 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Physicians at Northeast Baptist Hospital are among the first in the San Antonio to offer a minimally invasive treatment for a dangerous bulge in the body's main artery. The device was� recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The Medtronic Endurant® AAA Stent Graft System repairs an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) without open surgery. Left untreated, AAAs can burst unexpectedly, often with fatal consequences, making this "silent killer" the third leading cause of sudden death in men over age 60.

William O. Kirk M.D. and his surgical team recently conducted their first endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) with the new device. The procedure is performed by making a small incision near the groin and inserting a stent graft (a specially woven fabric tube sewn onto a flexible wire frame) compressed on a delivery catheter, then threaded up through the patient's blood vessels. At the site of the AAA, the stent graft is expanded within the aorta, creating a new path for blood flow that reduces pressure on the bulge and the risk of rupture.

Open surgery to correct AAA is more invasive, requiring a minimum hospital stay of five days and several months for complete recovery. By contrast, the hospital stay and recovery time following repair using the new device is typically much shorter.

What Is AAA?
The aorta is the large artery that carries blood from the heart to the rest of the body. With AAA, part of the aorta weakens and expands. If an aneurysm gets large enough, it may burst. This can be very serious, even fatal.

How Is an Aneurysm Detected?
AAA usually causes no symptoms. It is often found when tests (such as an x-ray, MRI, or CT scan) are done for an unrelated problem. Or your doctor may find it while feeling your stomach during a routine exam.

Who Develops AAA?
These things increase your chances of having AAA:

AAA runs in your family
Your age-AAA is more likely as you get older
Smoking, having high blood pressure, or a high cholesterol level (a buildup of fat and other materials in the blood)

For more information on the minimally-invasive approach to correcting AAA offered at Northeast Baptist Hospital, call 297-7005.

More Ammunition in the Battle of the Bulge

Thu, 03 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

For an estimated 26 million Americans fighting the battle of the bulge, there is a new weight loss option that was cleared recently by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). By lowering the required Body Mass Index (BMI), the FDA has made Lap Band weight loss surgery available to many more people who have tried, but have been unable to lose weight.

Previously,the surgery was restricted to people with a body mass index of 40, or 35 if they had an obesity-related health problem such as diabetes, hypertension or joint pain. People who have these related conditions can now have the surgery if their BMI is 30. With no obesity-related problems the BMI remains at 40.

Understanding Body Mass Index (BMI)

What BMI Means:

BMI below 18.5: Underweight

BMI�18.5 to 24.9: Healthy weight

BMI 25 to 29.9: Overweight

BMI 30 and over: Obese

Using the BMI Chart
To figure your BMI, find your height and weight (or the numbers closest to them)on the chart below or use our online tool . Follow each column of numbers to where your height and weight meet on the chart. That is your BMI.

Using the BMI Formula	Example
1. Multiply your weight in pounds by 703.	1. 160 pounds x 703= 112480
2. Divide the answer by your height in inches.	2. 112480 ÷ 63 inches= 1785
3. Divide this number by your height in inches again. This is your BMI.	3. 1785 ÷ 63 inches= BMI of 28

Wondering if weight loss surgery is for you? The Baptist Center for Weight Loss hosts free seminars for people considering Lap Band or Gastric Bypass surgery. For more information, and to hear from patients who have changed their lives through weight loss surgery, visit bhsweightloss.com or call 297-1055.

Junior Volunteers Wanted at Northeast Baptist Hospital for Summer 2011

Mon, 17 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The 2011 Junior Volunteer application process is as follows:

Applicant must be at least 14 years old by June 1, 2011
Applicant must provide documentation of shot records and TB testing
Applicant must be able to commit to a minimum of ten weeks of the summer.
Applicant must be able to work one of the two shifts, available Monday through Friday. Shifts are from 8am to 12 noon and 12noon to 4pm.
Applicants must be available to attend mandatory Orientation from 2-4pm on June 11, 2011 at the hospital.
Each applicant will be required to submit a one-page essay explaining why you think you would be an asset to the hospital's work force. Guidelines for the essay are as follows:

One page with 12pt font
The essay must also include your future career plans
The essay must include your name, address, cell phone number, email address and date of birth.
The essay must be sent via US Mail and be postmarked between May 1 and May 11, 2011.
Hand delivered essays will NOT be accepted.

Once all essay submissions are received, they will be reviewed by the Volunteer Director. If your essay is selected you will be invited for possible placement in the 2011 Summer Program.

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