March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month focuses attention on a disease that is detectable and treatable when caught in its early stages. Each March, healthcare facilities and organizations take steps to raise awareness of this condition and to highlight the importance of regular colorectal cancer screenings on a schedule recommended by your healthcare providers.

Bertrand Chaffee Hospital joins in this effort by sharing information about colorectal cancer with patients through its Primary Care Center and Surgical Center. The goal: encourage patients to know their risks for colorectal cancer and to get screened on a schedule recommended by their healthcare provider.

For most patients, colon cancer screenings begin at age 50, though certain risk factors such as a family history of colon cancer might indicate that earlier screenings are needed.

Colonoscopies are screening tools that are performed in a surgical setting with sedation for patient comfort. Other screening options include take-home stool tests that are covered by most insurance plans and available for free to uninsured patients through county Cancer Services Programs (CSP). To access the CSP in Erie County, call (716) 858-7376. For Cattaraugus, Allegany and Chautauqua Counties, call 877-778-6857.  For Wyoming County, call (716) 278-4898.

At Bertrand Chaffee Hospital, physicians in our Surgical Center perform colonoscopies for patients in an ambulatory surgery setting. That means that patients are generally able to go home from their procedure on the same day.

Colorectal cancer most commonly affects individuals over the age of 50. Patients who are experiencing a change in bowel habits, bleeding or blood in stool, persistent abdominal pain or cramping, or unexplained weight loss should consult with their healthcare provider.

A prescription is needed from a healthcare provider to schedule a colonoscopy. Please call (716) 794-3295 for a colonoscopy consultation with Dr. Gavin Davison, surgeon in the BCH Surgical Center.

 

 

 

BCH Announces New Lab Hours

Bertrand Chaffee Hospital has announced that its outpatient lab hours will change beginning on Friday, March 1, 2019.

New hours will be Monday-Friday, 7 a.m. until 5 p.m., and Saturday, 7 a.m. until 12 p.m.

No appointments are necessary for patients who need testing at the BCH Lab. For questions or for more information, please call (716) 592-2871 ext. 1275.

How High is Too High? Blood Pressure Facts from Bertrand Chaffee Hospital

No photo description available.The word “hypertension” might not be in everyone’s vocabulary, but the phrase “high blood pressure” certainly is.

Hypertension describes a condition that accounts for more than 1,000 deaths in the United States each day, according to the Centers for Disease Control. With approximately one in every three adults walking around with high blood pressure in the U.S., it’s been estimated that only half of those with elevated blood pressure have that condition under control.

“The patients we see in the Heart Center are generally referred to us by their primary care provider,” said Thomas P. Smith, MD, a cardiologist at Bertrand Chaffee Hospital. “Our goal is to address cardiac and vascular conditions through medication, diet and exercise programs and other treatment options to improve overall health.”

“With cases of high blood pressure, there are not always obvious symptoms,” said Lauralee Sprague, NP. “By working with patients to control and monitor their high blood pressure, we are reducing their risks for heart disease, stroke and other complications that can result in a lower quality of life or of death.”

So, how high is too high? For most adults, normal blood pressure is less than 120 (systolic, or upper number) and less than 80 (diastolic, or lower number). Readings that show numbers above “120/80” may indicate hypertension. Certain conditions, such as pregnancy or medications, can cause elevated blood pressure readings. The best advice is to talk to your healthcare provider about your blood pressure and have your readings taken in a clinical setting.

BCH is planning a Heart Health Event on February 26 at 1 p.m. at the Concord Senior Center. Blood pressure screenings and heart and vascular health information will be available.

February is American Heart Month, and Bertrand Chaffee Hospital has provided this information to raise awareness about this widespread and serious health condition. Call (716) 592-9644 for information about services at the BCH Heart Center.

More Comfort. More Support. More Visits. Hospice Buffalo

Does your loved one seem to be sleeping more and eating less?  Most people do as they approach end-of-life. Hospice Buffalo has a strong collaboration with Jennie B. Richmond Nursing Home. Over the years,  the Jennie B. Richmond staff and the Hospice Buffalo team (nurse, social worker, spiritual counselor, aides and even volunteers) have worked together to provide compassionate care. It will bring you peace knowing your loved one will receive more care, more comfort and more visits with two teams working together.

We encourage you to “Know Us Before You Need Us.” The most frequent comment we hear from families is, “I wish I would have called Hospice sooner.” Why not ask a Jennie B. Richmond physician, nurse or social worker for a hospice consult today, or you can call Hospice Buffalo directly at (716) 686-8000. We are here to support you, your loved one and the Jennie B. Richmond team.

Bertrand Chaffee Hospital Launches New Community Health Resource with YourCareEverywhere

With healthcare continuing to change, Bertrand Chaffee Hospital is keeping up with technology and introducing a new electronic medical records system for its patients. Called “YourCareCommunity,” this is a health record and wellness content website. It works as an online portal to help patients and caregivers organize and access personal health information.

This upgrade was funded as part of a grant received by Bertrand Chaffee Hospital in 2017, part of the Statewide Healthcare Facility Transformation Program.

YourCareCommunity includes a Wellness Dashboard that links to patient records, and consolidates other important information and tools for managing personal health. It is accessible from computers and mobile devices, and can integrate with some popular health and wellness apps. Bertrand Chaffee Hospital inpatients and caregivers are being given login and access information upon registration. Once this registration process is complete, hospital patients and their approved caregivers can securely access their patient portal to view, download or transmit private health information, and more.

Individuals who are not BCH patients can create an account on YourCareEverywhere, a related web site, and explore firsthand the Wellness Dashboard and the health and wellness content where there are over 20,000 relevant health and wellness articles, videos, recipes, work-out videos, and other helpful tools.

To log in to the patient portal at YourCareCommunity or to create an account for YourCareEverywhere, please visit https://bertrandchaffee.com/patient-portal/.

Bertrand Chaffee Hospital Begins Community Health Needs Assessment

Bertrand Chaffee Hospital has begun its 2019 Community Health Needs Assessment process, which relies in part on input from focus groups and an intensive survey of individuals in the community.

This periodic assessment gives the hospital a better sense of community health needs, so that it can better direct its priorities and deliver its services. The online survey is open until February 28 at THIS LINK. (note: this is a new link; please use the survey that is for Erie County). Participants from the BCH service area who complete the survey are eligible to be part of a drawing for one of two $50 TOPS gift cards.

Focus groups are scheduled on Wednesday, January 30 in the afternoon at the Concord Public Library in Springville. BCH is looking for 10-15 community members for each session. Facilitators from the Population Health Collaborative in Buffalo will guide individuals through a series of questions to discover opportunities and challenges related to healthcare, access to healthcare, and related services. Contact Kara Kane at (716) 592-2871 ext. 1485 to be a part of the focus group or with any questions about this project.

A full report will be available later in 2019.

Monthly Diabetic Support Group at BCH in 2019

Bertrand Chaffee Hospital will coordinate monthly diabetes support group meetings for Type I and Type II diabetics and their loved ones in 2019.

Interested individuals are invited to participate in this group to share recipes, coupons and information about topics related to diabetes and health in a supportive and welcoming environment. The group will meet at Bertrand Chaffee Hospital on the first Monday of each month from 6-7 p.m. A Certified Diabetes Educator will facilitate the group, and meetings are free of charge. This group is part of the BCH diabetic education program, which is accredited by the American Association of Diabetes Educators.

Topics include: January, Diabetes Bingo; February, Gut Flora; March, Paleo Diet; April, Yoga; May, Asthma/COPD; June, Diabetes Jeopardy; July, Label Reading; August, Ketogenic Diet; September (closed for holiday); October, Paleo Diet; November, Laboratory Targets; December, Fasting.

For more information, call (716) 592-9643. Meetings will be canceled when Springville-Griffith Institute schools are closed for a snow day.

National Physical Therapy Month for BCH and JBR in October

The Bertrand Chaffee Hospital Physical Therapy Department has seen some changes this year. The retirement of Mary Lou Wright after 43 years shifted former assistant manager Emily King into the lead role in April 2018.

By June, Jessica Judware joined the PT team to fill the assistant director position. That solidified the four-person group that guides inpatients and outpatients through physical therapy evaluations and treatments. Physical Therapy Assistant (PTA) Sherry Stevens and Administrative Assistant Ronalyn Kassel work side by side with King and Judware to work with patients to build their strength, dexterity, balance and in some cases, speed.

Physical therapy patients are a varied bunch. Some make one visit to PT, others are seen for a much longer time period. Regardless of the ailment or injury, Bertrand Chaffee Hospital’s Physical Therapy Department is prepared to handle strains, pains, recoveries from surgeries and illness, balance issues and more.

“Many patients and providers don’t realize that vestibular therapy is within a physical therapist’s scope of practice,” said King. “That means we can work with patients to abate dizziness, sometimes in just one or two treatments.”

At the Jennie B. Richmond Nursing Home, another team of four works as part of an interdisciplinary team to coordinate an effective rehabilitation program. This program, unlike others in the region, offers services seven days a week. The goal for JBR: help patients and residents achieve their goals and return safely to the community.

“Our team provides a bridge from hospital to home,” said Troy Flanagan, director. “We play a very important role in restoring function, maintaining function and preventing declines to allow client to be able to function at a maximum practicable level, which carries over to improving quality of life.”

Physical Therapists at JBR include Flanagan, Assistant Director Mary Kate Bockhahn, Nancy Stang and Danielle Krotz.

“It is rewarding to see the smile on patients’ faces when they meet their goals and return home or do something they never thought they could do again,” Flanagan continued. “We have an impact on their life.”

October is National Physical Therapy Month, recognizing the important role that PT plays in relieving pain, increasing mobility and improving quality of life. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, this is a quickly growing field, with about 240,000 PT positions in the United States. We are fortunate to have eight of them here at Bertrand Chaffee Hospital and Jennie B. Richmond Nursing Home.

 

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Bertrand Chaffee Hospital is sharing this reminder to the residents in its service area, from Gowanda to Bliss and Colden to Ellicottville, that October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Last October, Bertrand Chaffee Hospital converted from digital mammography system to 3D mammography (digital tomography) thanks to funding from the New York Statewide Healthcare Facility Transformation Program. With 3D mammography, a series of images are taken to create a three-dimensional picture that has more detail and definition.

The American College of Radiology recommends annual mammography screenings for women between the ages of 40 and 74 along with clinical breast exams. Ask your primary care physician or gynecologist about a screening schedule that is right for you based on family history and other risk factors. When breast cancer is diagnosed in its early stages, the treatment options and chances of survival are much greater.

3D mammography is available on weekdays, with early morning and evening hours. Call (716) 592-8169 for an appointment.