Drug Take Back Day on October 28

Bertrand Chaffee Hospital will be a site for the Western New York Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, October 28, 2017. As in the past, the hours are 10 a.m. through 2 p.m.

Bring your expired and unused medications, ointments, pills, drops and prescription medicine to be disposed of in a safe and secure manner.

Diabetes Events in November

Diabetes Events in November

Gourmet Dining on a 400-calorie Budget

A FREE Healthy Eating and Cooking Demonstration to kick off November, which is Diabetes Awareness Month.

Wednesday, November 1
10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Concord Senior Center on Commerce Drive

This free event is open to all, but registration is required as seating is limited. (We also need to know how much food to make!). Call (716) 592-2871 ext. 1485 or email kkane@bch-jbr.org.

Diabetes: Talk to an Expert

Thursday, November 16, 7-8:30 p.m.
Concord Senior Center
Free with preregistration to (716) 592-9643.
A panel of diabetes experts will be available to answeer your questions. Join us for an evening of education, diabetes products, snacks and door prizes.
Coordinated by the Buffalo American Association of Diabetes Educators Networking Group.

“Fall into Health” With BCH and Tri-County Kiwanis

Bertrand Chaffee Hospital and Tri-County Kiwanis of WNY are coordinating a “Fall into Health” event on Thursday, October 19 from 6-8 p.m. at the Arcade VFW Hall, 550 West Main Street in Arcade.

This evening has a goal of highlighting National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and women’s health. Health and wellness resources, including information about Bertrand Chaffee Hospital’s new 3D mammography service, will be featured.

Refreshments and light fare are provided at this free event, but registrations are required as seating is limited. Attendees will receive goodie bags, and we plan to include a special recognition for breast cancer survivors as part of the evening.

Call (716) 592-2871 ext. 1485 or email kkane@bch-jbr.org to register.

Dr. Wnuk: “A tradition of quality healthcare that will extend far into the future…”

William Wnuk, MD sent the following letter to local newspapers in regards to Bertrand Chaffee Hospital’s award through the New York State Department of Health.

 

To the Editor:

Bertrand Chaffee Hospital’s recent award of $11.3 million from New York State’s Department of Health represents a significant investment of taxpayer dollars in our community. For the medical staff of our facility, it represents something else. That is, that our progress and plans have been recognized as meaningful and worthy of funding.

Health outcomes for individual patients and community at large are a priority for us as medical practitioners. This award will reinforce the work that we are doing to develop primary care, specialist practices and imaging services at our campus.

The direction of healthcare has been leading towards an emphasis on preventive care. Bertrand Chaffee Hospital stepped out on that path in 2010 with the introduction of primary care services. With providers caring for hundreds of patients each week, we are committed to continuing our significant role in the region’s health initiatives.

We’ve introduced a new phrase at the hospital and nursing home: #teamchaffee. It represents that we are all here, working together, to make sure the health of our patients is maintained and improved. As rural facilities like ours continue to face challenges, our efforts are being encouraged – not just by New York State, but by our patients and our community.

Thank you for being a part of a tradition of quality healthcare that will extend far into the future.

William Wnuk, MD
President, BCH Medical Staff
Medical Director and Physician, Bertrand Chaffee Hospital Primary Care Center

My Hospital, My Home, My Heart

The Buffalo News published an article by Darlene Schrantz, RN, BSN, former director of patient care services. She shared what she submitted with BCH and we are glad to share it with you.

Darlene Schrantz, RN, BSNMy hospital sits on a well-traveled country road in rural Erie County. It draws in patients from Arcade to Gowanda and everywhere in between. They visit to get healthy, to stay healthy, and to heal what ails them.

I call Bertrand Chaffee Hospital “my hospital” with good reason. I started my first-and-only nursing job there 45 years ago and spent my entire career caring for patients as a nurse and leading the nursing staff as a manager.

Before I retired in March, I clocked in tens of thousands of hours at the “Gem on the Hill” that became my home away from home. My husband was a teacher during the day, and I worked many evening and overnight shifts as we raised our children, Matt and Susan. Matt has a special connection to BCH, as he was the first patient transported by Mercy Flight to Springville when he was an infant. On that occasion, I was able to be their first flight nurse as well!

I saw so many changes as a nurse on the front lines of healthcare. We watched as technology made equipment smaller, faster and more accurate. Computers changed the way we interacted with patient charts and with each other. Inpatient stays became shorter. Advances were made in medications and treatments. And being in the maternity unit, I eventually saw women who had been born at BCH having children of their own.

I can also say what didn’t change. A nurse’s best tools are the ones he or she is born with. Eyes can monitor a patient’s condition. Ears can hear what patients and family members are saying. And a simple touch can let a patient know that they are in good hands. That’s the advice I brought with me when I started nursing, and that’s what I tell anyone looking to work in the healthcare field.

Words weren’t enough to express how delighted I was to learn that my hospital received an $11.3 million award from New York State to invest in imaging equipment and space for primary care. To me, that was confirmation after a lifetime of work that my hospital has the tools and the team to keep my community healthy.

The funding that New York State is providing for my hospital’s future is incredible. But it would not have happened without careful planning. Under the leadership of CEO Nils Gunnersen, Bertrand Chaffee Hospital looked ahead to the future of healthcare and saw some challenging times ahead.
With input from doctors, nurses and patients, my hospital made a series of investments that established primary care and cardiology services. Those decisions transformed our small hospital into the central venue for healthcare that it is today.

I take a long walk down Main Street and through the village of Springville nearly every morning. Each time, I am virtually guaranteed to see someone I know who has been cared for at Bertrand Chaffee Hospital. That’s the strength of my hospital. That’s the purpose of my hospital. And that’s the future of my hospital.

I like to tell people that if I were born a thousand times, I’d always want to be a nurse. I’m still a nurse, and I’ll always be a nurse. I am enjoying life now with a focus on being a wife, a mother, a grandmother and a friend. When my neighbors need healthcare, I know my hospital is there for them. And I know that my husband and I can depend on it for our medical needs as we enjoy a long and well-deserved retirement.

Department Spotlight: Physical Therapy

The Bertrand Chaffee Hospital Physical Therapy Department is here to walk with patients on their road to recovery from injury, illness, surgery or chronic conditions.

Mary Lou Wright, PT, manages the PT Department and has seen patients at BCH for 42 years. Her team works with patients to relieve pain, restore movement, increase strength, improve balance and reduce fall risk. Outpatient therapy can be a few sessions or can last for several months.

“Our main goal with our patients is to get them back to their normal routine,” said Wright. “For some that means getting back to athletics or strenuous physical activity and for others that means being comfortable in their everyday activities, hobbies or work tasks.” She continued, “It’s all about quality of life, and that is different for each person.”

“Balance, strength and movement are the core of physical therapy,” said Emily King, a Doctor of Physical Therapy. “We are able to guide patients through exercises and give them practical tips to use as they resume their activities…The education process is vital, as patients then understand the importance of following through with recommendations once formal PT is ended.”

The department also provides services to in-patients on the medical-surgical floor. “For inpatients, we are able to evaluate their function and help the providers determine the appropriate discharge plan,” said Wright. “This could include discharge to home, short-term rehab, a skilled nursing facility, or possibly home PT services or outpatient therapy.”

When a provider prescribes physical therapy, patients have the freedom to choose where to go for treatment. “We encourage you to consider the local resource of Bertrand Chaffee Hospital’s PT department,” said King. “We are open 10 hours a day Monday through Friday for your convenience.”

To schedule an appointment or for more information, please call (716) 592-2871 ext. 1262.

Emily King, DPT, Sherry Stevens, Ronalyn Kassel, Mary Lou Wright, PT

Mercy Flight Brings the Voice that Healed a Nation to Sing at JBR

Mercy Flight of WNY coordinated a series of special performances throughout its service area by nationally known tenor Daniel Rodriguez. These mini-concerts at area healthcare facilities led up to Mercy Flight’s Beacon of Hope fundraiser on September 9.

Rodriguez’s first stop on September 7 was the Jennie B. Richmond Nursing Home in Springville, where he sang patriotic and classical tunes that the residents and guests recognized with ease.

Known as the Singing Policeman and the Voice the Healed a Nation, Rodriguez was a NYC police officer and was one of the first responders at 9/11. Since retiring, he has traveled the country as a professional singer.

Photo 1: Daniel Rodriguez entertains residents at the Jennie B. Richmond Nursing Home with his rich tenor voice and popular American standard tunes.

Photo 2: Don Trzepacz, Jr., director of air medical operations for Mercy Flight, and Daniel Rodriguez outside the Jennie B. Richmond Nursing Home.

 

Freedom From Smoking at BCH

Bertrand Chaffee Hospital is offering the Freedom From Smoking program starting on Tuesday, October 10 and running weekly to Tuesday, November 21.

This program is designed for adult smokers and features step-by-step plans to help smokers gain control over their behavior. Cigarette smoke contains cancer-causing chemicals and can lead to lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Smoking is a behavior that negatively affects nearly every organ in the human body. It is also a cause of heart disease and stroke.

This program is taught by an American Lung Association-certified respiratory therapist. Each class runs from 6-7:30 p.m. The cost for the program is $80. Please call (716) 592-9643 for more information and to register.