Project SEARCH is a program that provides New Albany-Floyd County high-school students with disabilities the chance to explore job opportunities and acquire skills to help them succeed in finding employment as adults.  Project SEARCH is a collaborative program with New Albany-Floyd County Schools, Achieva Resources, Vocational Rehabilitation Services and the Indiana Institute of Disability and Community. During her time interning at Floyd Memorial, Brough worked in the Emergency Center, performed laundry tasks and helped further the green recycling program throughout the hospital. 

The on-site Project SEARCH coordinator, Matt Miller, said Brough’s new job is a great fit with her personality. “It is important for someone in her position to be outgoing and friendly every day,” Miller said. “And Jodi is always friendly. She makes every day a great day.” 

The hospital is pleased that Brough will continue the recycling program started during the Project SEARCH internship and further the hospital’s green initiative. Floyd Memorial is the first and only hospital in Indiana to receive a grant from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management to develop a hospital-wide recycling program. The grant has furthered the recycling efforts at the hospital, which made Brough’s new position possible. 

Brough, a recent Albany High School graduate said, “I love my recycling job because I enjoy visiting with all of the other hospital employees.”

Patients receive the best care post-surgery as well. Afterward, patients reside in the new Surgical Inpatient unit, in private rooms complete with equipment designed specifically for total joint replacement patients.  The Total Joint Replacement Program has shown impressive results; more than 90 percent of patients experience a dramatic reduction of pain and significant improvement in their ability to perform daily activities.

 The hospital has also added Total Tuesdays, a pre-op education program, to the joint replacement process to provide patients with an in-depth look the joint replacement experience. During Total Tuesdays, patients and their families are educated on the surgery, hospital stay, recovery and physical therapy processes and receive tours of the Surgical Inpatient Unit. During Total Tuesday, patients are also given the convenient opportunity to complete their pre-anesthesia testing.

 Floyd Memorial has also taken steps to make the decision to pursue total joint replacement as informed as possible by offering regular free public seminars given by an orthopedic surgeon, orthopedic nurse and physician therapist.  The goal of the seminars is for perspective patients to learn about the benefits of total joint replacement surgery, the physical therapy process and pre- and post-op expectations to help them make the best decision possible. 

 The next free joint replacement seminars are scheduled for Tuesday, July 28 at 6:00 p.m. and Saturday, September 19 at 9:30 a.m. at the Floyd Memorial Paris Health Education Center.  To register, patients can call 1-800-4-SOURCE (1-800-476-8723) or visit us online at www.floydmemorial.com.

“The most important thing to prevent head injury is to wear a helmet every time you ride a bike,” said Casey Bittenbender, MD, a primary care physician in New Albany. “Adults and children should always wear a helmet no matter how short the distance traveled. Each year more than 267,000 bicycle injuries occur. But wearing a bicycle helmet can reduce the risk of injury by 85 percent and the risk of brain injury by as much as 88 percent.”

 Follow these three steps to properly fit a helmet before riding a bike:

• When looking upward the front rim should be barely visible to the eye
• The Y of the side straps should meet just below the ear
• The chin strap should be snug against the chin

• Only buy fireworks from a licensed store or stand; never buy fireworks from an individual’s house, or out of someone’s car
• Always have a bucket of water and hose nearby in case of accidents
• Point fireworks away from homes, brush, leaves and other flammable substances
• Never allow children to play with or ignite fireworks. Even sparklers can reach temperatures of 1800° F.
• Only use fireworks as intended. Don’t try to alter them or combine them.
• Don’t hold fireworks in your hand or have any part of your body over them while lighting.
• Never relight a “dud” firework. Wait 20 minutes and then soak it in a bucket of water.
• Spectators should keep a safe distance from the launch site and the shooter should wear safety glasses.
• Don’t mix alcohol and fireworks. Have a “designated shooter.” 

According to the National Council on Fireworks Safety, the amount of fireworks imported to the U.S. has doubled in the last decade. The most common fireworks injuries occur to the hands and eyes. If someone is injured during your Fourth of July fireworks display, seek immediate medical care from the hospital or a physician. 

“There is no such thing as completely safe consumer fireworks,” Orthopedic and Hand Surgeon, Ganesh Ramachandran, DO, said. “Every year we treat children and adults who have been injured by legal fireworks. The pleasure is temporary, but the injury can be permanent.” 

Fireworks are a part of Fourth of July that are meant to be enjoyed, but you will enjoy them even more knowing your family is safe. Take extra precautions this holiday to ensure your Fourth of July is fun and safe.

 ”The Foundation Board is excited to see our donors’ dollars going to work in our communities,” Linda Hendrich, executive director of the Foundation, said.

 The Foundation recently donated 14 Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDs), used for sudden cardiac arrest, to the New Albany and Floyd County Police Departments for use in police cars, the jail and its medical office. The total cost of the donation was $22,000.

 The Foundation also donated an Electrocardiogram (EKG) machine to the county jail. EKG machines can find out if parts of the heart are too large or overworked, while also determining if electrical activity in the heart is normal, slow, fast or irregular.

 In March, HCI held the “Health Career Academy” to educate over 800 local middle school students about careers in the health field. The Health Career Academy exposed Floyd County students to the world of healthcare and expanded their knowledge of jobs within a hospital setting.

 Over 800 men participated in the HCI annual prostate screening. The screening aided many men with prostate problems; it even helped 17 men begin treatment for prostate cancer.

 HCI has added several new screenings to their schedule for 2009, including hemoglobin A1C, oxygen saturation and hearing testing. With a continued focus on heart awareness, the initiative continues to provide its free Take 2 for Heart and Stroke screening on a monthly basis and in May, it held the first stroke screening in conjunction with the Heart and Vascular Center. “It is very timely that the Foundation has invested more in HCI because so many people have been laid off and lost insurance that they are really grateful for the free screenings,” Shannon Carroll, Healthier Community coordinator, said. “We have really made an impact because now more people need to take advantage of these opportunities.”

 HCI has already provided over 35 community outreach events in 2009. There are still more than 20 community events scheduled for the remainder of 2009. “We have already touched the lives of thousands of community members this year through the more than 6,000 free screenings and educational opportunities we provided,” Carroll said.

 The HCI brings community leaders and healthcare professionals together to achieve a healthier community. HCI continues to search for creative ways to reach out to the regional community to offer free screenings and educational opportunities. To find out more about the Floyd Memorial Foundation or to give a donation call 812-949-5519, or visit www.floydmemorial.com and click on the “Foundation” link.

Floyd Memorial received a five-star award for placing in the top 10 percent nationally for its pathology services. The hospital also received four-star awards for placing in the top 25 percent nationally for

• Overall quality of care
• Emergency services
• Medical records
• As a place to practice medicine

All awards were for Medical Staff Perception, which is based on the percentage of medical staff that rates the facility as “excellent” compared to the PRC’s medical staff database from the prior year. “We as a medical staff are very happy to have the patient care services that are provided by Floyd Memorial,” Homer Ferree, M.D., family practice physician and chief of medical staff said. “The survey results show what a great place Floyd Memorial is to practice medicine and how much we enjoy working with each other.”

PRC is thrilled that Floyd Memorial’s physicians think so highly of its services. “We are so proud of Floyd Memorial Hospital and are thrilled to present them with these National Excellence in Healthcare Awards,” Joe M. Inguanzo, Ph.D., President and CEO of PRC said. “They are truly dedicated to making their hospital a better place for patients to be treated.”

Floyd Memorial is proud of its accomplishments. “We’re very pleased that our physicians think so highly of us,” Mark Shugarman, FACHE, President and CEO of Floyd Memorial Hospital and Health Services said. “We will continue to use the PRC research about physicians’ opinions to improve and enhance physician and patient experiences at Floyd Memorial Hospital.”

According to the Alzheimer’s Association’s 2009 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report, an estimated 5.3 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s Disease and this number is expected to reach 16 million by mid-century.  By 2010, there will be 120,000 Indiana residents affected; with this number projected to climb to 130,000 by 2025. 

“The financial impact over the next 10 years on state and federal budgets will be enormous,” Chapter President and CEO Teri Shirk said.  ”The U.S. is currently spending more than $148 billion annually on care for persons with Alzheimer’s Disease and other dementias.  We need to move forward to find a way for earlier diagnosis, help for caregivers and an effective treatment for Alzheimer’s disease.”

In 2007, Indiana had approximately 84,000 people in nursing homes, and 39 percent had moderate to severe dementia.  There are 211,236 family members in Indiana providing care to persons with Alzheimer’s and related dementias.  This meeting offers the opportunity to raise awareness and bring these facts to the attention of officials.  Karen M. Robinson, DNS, PMHCNS- BC, FAAN, Executive Director of the Volunteer Caregivers Program, will speak about the experience and needs of family caregivers.

“Unless we take action now, we are going to be overwhelmed in the next decade with people who need care on a daily basis, not to mention the staggering healthcare and services costs to government budgets,” Shirk said.

The meeting will be held at Floyd Memorial Hospital, Paris Education Center, Classroom One, 1850 State Street, New Albany, Indiana, and is free and open to the public.  Guests can register by calling the Alzheimer’s Association at 1-800-272-3900.

Floyd Memorial Hospital and Health Services will be hosting a free total hip and total knee joint replacement screening on Saturday June 6. Those considering joint replacement surgery will receive free x-rays and a consultation with an orthopedic surgeon. They will also have the opportunity to meet the experts they will work with throughout the surgery process and learn about the total joint replacement program.

 Space is limited and appointments are required. To schedule an appointment, call  

1-800-4-SOURCE (1-800-476-8723).

            The grant money is to be used for inpatients at Floyd Memorial Hospital or outpatients receiving radiation therapy treatments at the Cancer Center of Indiana. Massage therapy has proved to be effective in improving blood pressure, respiration and pulse rates. It has also been shown to stimulate the lymphatic system, reduce muscle tension and pain. Thanks to the support of various grants and donations, the Cancer Center of Indiana has been able to offer this free benefit to its patients for the last five years.

            Floyd Memorial’s Cancer Services recently received a three-year approval with commendations from the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons. For more information at the Cancer Center of Indiana and its massage therapy program, call 812-945-4000, option 3.

            Alpha₁-antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) affects an estimated 100,000 American but is diagnosed in fewer than five percent of the population. The deficiency is responsible for up to three percent of COPD cases in the U.S., and is the most prevalent, and potentially fatal hereditary disease in Caucasians. However, through an easy screening, the deficiency can be identified.

            The screening will be held on Wednesday, May 27 from Noon to 4 p.m. in the Paris Health Education Center at Floyd Memorial. The screening involves a simple needlestick, and fasting is not required.

            The American Thoracic Society (ATS) provides the following recommendations for patients who should be tested for the deficiency:

• All adults with symptomatic emphysema regardless of smoking history
• All adults with symptomatic COPD regardless of smoking history
• All adults with symptomatic asthma whose airflow obstruction is incompletely reversible after bronchodilator therapy
• Asymptomatic patients with persistent obstruction on pulmonary function tests with identifiable risk factors (eg, smoking, occupational exposure)
•  Siblings of individuals with AATD

Pre-registration is required for the screening. To register, call 1-800-4-SOURCE (1-800-476-8723). You will be asked a series of questions to qualify for the screening. If you have any questions about the screening guidelines, talk to your primary care physician about whether or not you qualify.