Blood drive at Nazareth
Nazareth Hospital will host an American Red Cross blood drive on Tuesday, Dec. 29, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the hospital’s Marian Conference Center, 2601 Holme Ave. Donors receive a long-sleeve T-shirt and are eligible for a variety of raffle prizes.
Call 215–335–6281 to schedule an appointment. ••
Aria Health gets high marks
Aria Health earned an A in the independent nonprofit Leapfrog Group’s national ratings program, recognizing its commitment to patient safety.
“The safety of our patients has always been a top priority at Aria Health, and something we never stop striving to improve,” said Kathleen Kinslow, president and CEO of Aria Health. “The announcement from the Leapfrog Group of our ‘A’ score has generated a great deal of excitement and pride throughout our organization. It truly reflects the commitment and support from our Board of Directors, leadership and staff to provide exceptional care to the people in our communities in a safe environment.”
ldquo;Aria’s ‘A’ grade is a powerful reminder of its commitment to putting patient safety above all else, and we are pleased to recognize the persistent efforts of your clinicians and staff to protect your patients,” Leapfrog Group president and CEO Leah Binder wrote to Aria.
More than 2,500 U.S. general hospitals were assigned scores, with 773 hospitals receiving an A grade.
To see Aria’s full score and for more information, visit www.hospitalsafetyscore.org or follow The Hospital Safety Score on Twitter or Facebook ••
Tips to prevent lung cancer
Lung cancer accounts for 27 percent of all cancer deaths, according to the American Cancer Society.
Smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer.
Dr. Richard Chang, director of thoracic surgery at Aria Health, has provided the following tips for smoking cessation, lung cancer prevention and early detection:
• Quit smoking: The best way to prevent lung cancer is to quit smoking. Smoking cessation programs offer education, support and mindfulness, and help smokers understand their addiction.
• Schedule your lung screening: A relatively new type of lung cancer screening, the low dose CT scan lowers a smoker’s chance of death by 20 percent, compared to those who got only chest X-rays. These new screenings are approved for those between the ages of 55–74 who are healthy, but previously smoked.
• Know the symptoms: Nonsmokers don’t need an annual screening as women do for, say, breast cancer. As such, it is important to know the symptoms of lung cancer, including a persistent cough or cold, weight loss, pneumonia, shortness of breath and coughing up blood. If you are exhibiting these symptoms, contact your doctor right away.
• Get an annual check-up: Your primary care doctor can help you track symptoms of lung cancer, and may also be able to find red flags you weren’t aware of, such as swollen lymph nodes.
• Be aware of your environment: Other causes of cancer include high radon count and asbestos exposure. If you work with chemicals or in a dusty or industrial workplace, be sure to wear an OSHA-approved mask to limit dust inhalation. ••
Holy Redeemer recognized for surgery
Holy Redeemer Health System is the first hospital in the Northeast region recognized as a Center of Excellence for Hidden Scar Breast Cancer Surgery.
New technologies enable this procedure, which decreases trauma to the skin flaps as cancerous tissue is removed through a single concealed incision to minimize visible scarring.
This procedure provides the best clinical and aesthetic results, leaving the least amount of visible scarring. The scar is in an inconspicuous area, either along the edge of the nipple or along the underside of the breast.
Patients who undergo the Hidden Scar approach are at no higher risk of recurrence than patients who undergo any other type of mastectomy.
Qualification for each approach depends on a patient’s tumor size and location, breast shape, size and her personal choice in many cases. ••
