Health Headlines

Floyd Physical Therapy & Rehab coming to Cedartown

(Media release) Floyd Physical Therapy and Rehab will open at 801 N. Main St. in Cedartown on Thursday, April 1.

The facility will offer a full range of outpatient physical therapy services including neurological and orthopedic care and sports medicine. Treating patients of all ages, the hours of operation are Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

“Floyd Physical Therapy and Rehab in Cedartown is a commitment to the community to provide comprehensive physical therapy services, from treating infants to elderly patients. In addition, because it is a Floyd facility, patients can expect a full continuum of care,” says Kaci Poe, coordinator.

Floyd Medical Center's Inpatient and Outpatient Rehabilitation Services are widely regarded as one of the most comprehensive rehabilitation programs in the region. With a return home rate above the regional average, Floyd’s qualified team of professionals works with patients to maximize recovery by customizing a rehabilitation program specific to his or her needs.

At the new location, Susan Florey will serve as the office manager. In this role, she will schedule new patients, assist rehabilitation aides and help with the day to day operations of the facility. Prior to her new position, Florey served as a rehabilitation aide, helping with pediatric patients at Floyd Physical Therapy and Rehab in Rome. She and her husband William reside in Cedartown.

Jamie Steele, CCP-SLP, will serve as the program leader for the pediatric and neurological rehab team. She also will provide speech language pathology care for neurological and pediatric patients. Steele earned her Master of Science degree and Bachelor of Science degree, both in speech language pathology, from Mississippi University in Columbus. In addition, she has a certificate of clinical competence in speech language pathology. A member of the American Speech Language and Hearing Association, she has been a Floyd employee for nearly four years. She resides in Rome.

Alisha Zertuche will serve as the physical therapist. A Floyd employee for five years, she earned her Master of Science degree in Physical Therapy from the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta. She earned her bachelor’s degree in exercise science from Georgia College and State University in Milledgeville. In addition, Zertuche is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association. She and her family reside in Rockmart.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 706.509.3467.

Redmond Regional, Polk Medical honored by Ga. Hospital Association

(Media release) Polk Medical Center of Cedartown and Redmond Regional Medical Center of Rome have been named to the Georgia Hospital Association’s Partnership for Health and Accountability Quality Honor Roll.

Polk Medical and Redmond Regional are two of only 14 hospitals in Georgia to be placed in the chairman’s category, the highest on the list.  The honor roll is based on clinical data provided by the federal Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services (CMS), which administers the nation’s Medicare and Medicaid programs. The data was collected from October 2008 – September 2009.

“This is a great accomplishment for Polk Medical and Redmond Regional,” said Joseph Parker, president of GHA. “This recognition further underscores the commitment of the Polk Medical and Redmond Regional staff to ensuring that every patient receives the best, most effective health care possible.”  

All acute care hospitals are required to submit care data to CMS. This data details how well a hospital’s caregivers adhere to a list of eight Appropriate Care Measures (ACM), which are the clinical processes of care that are known to be the most effective methods of treatment for patients who have suffered heart attacks, heart failure or pneumonia. The ACM is a composite measure that determines whether or not a patient received the right care at the right time.  

For instance, a recommended treatment to help prevent a heart attack is to take aspirin either before or upon arrival at the hospital, as well as at discharge. A suggested treatment for pneumonia is to administer an antibiotic within four hours of a patient’s arrival. A hospital’s adherence to these recommended clinical practices usually leads to better outcomes.  

“It is our mission to ensure that each patient receives the right care at the right time and this recognition validates this,” said Brenda Waltz, chief executive officer of Redmond Regional.  

Kim Scoggins, Polk Administrator, said of the award, “This honor is a tribute to the hard work and dedication of our staff who are constantly working to make excellent care even better.”  

Heyman HospiceCare hosts cancer, end-of-life care conference March 24

(Media release) Learning that you or a loved one has incurable cancer can bring a wave of emotion and questions that many of us are not prepared to address. On Wednesday, March 24, Heyman HospiceCare at Floyd will host a seminar that speaks to care options related to cancer diagnoses as well as loss and grief reactions for patients, families and professional care-givers.

“Cancer and End-of-Life Care” is a national teleconference developed by the Hospice Foundation of America. The Floyd event will be held at Georgia Northwestern Technical College on Cedar Avenue in Rome. Registration begins at 12:30 p.m. The conference begins at 1:30 p.m. and is scheduled to conclude at 4:30 p.m.

It is an opportunity for health care professionals, volunteers, patients and family members to share and exchange ideas and to hear from recognized experts in the continually evolving field of hospice care.

The event is free. Health care professionals who pay a $25 processing fee can receive continuing education credit for attending.

For more than a decade, this annual educational program has been instrumental in educating health care professionals and families on issues affecting end-of-life care. This is the HFA’s 17th annual national bereavement teleconference. Experts will examine psychosocial aspects of cancer, pain management, and ethical issues related to the disease.

Moderator Frank Sesno, Director of the School of Media and Public Affairs at The George Washington University, will lead the panel of noted authorities that includes: Yvette Colón, director of Education & Support at American Pain Foundation; Malene Davis, president & CEO at Capital Hospice; Kenneth J. Doka, professor of gerontology at The College of New Rochelle; Richard Payne, director, Institute on Care at the End of Life, Duke University; Sherry R. Schachter, director Bereavement Services at Calvary Hospital/Hospice; and Brad Stuart, medical director at Sutter VNA & Hospice.

In addition, a panel of Heyman HospiceCare and community representatives knowledgeable about cancer care in our region will be in attendance to help address questions and to provide a local perspective on these very important issues.
To register, contact Lori O’Malia at 706.509.3204 or by email at lomalia@floyd.org.

Palko named Floyd's director of retail services

(News release) Joseph A. Palko Jr. has been named director of Retail Services at Floyd. Palko will provide consultative support for existing retail venues, develop plans for the expansion of retail services and coordinate a range of ventures as planned and budgeted. Prior to joining Floyd, Palko served as the vice president of sales, stores and operations at Goody’s LLC in Knoxville, Tenn. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from Saint Francis University, Loretto, Pa. In addition, he has completed training in advanced leadership, management development and situational leadership. A native of Altoona, Penn., Palko resides in Rome.

Steele joins Redmond Outpatient Rehab

(Media release) Christopher Steele, PT, DPT has joined Redmond Outpatient Rehab in Rome and Trion as a Physical Therapist.  As a PT, he will assist patients in meeting their health goals and work to enable them to return to everyday activities.  Steele will be treating musculoskeletal and neurological injuries, including neck pain, back pain, strokes and muscle strains.  He specializes in neck and back pain.   Steele earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology at Shorter College in 2006 and went on to earn his Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Georgia State University in 2009.  He is a member of the Physical Therapy Association of Georgia and the American Physical Therapy Association.   Steele has two dogs and lives in his hometown of Armuchee.

Weed named director of planning at Floyd Medical Center

(Media release) Stephen Weed has been named director of Planning at Floyd Medical Center. In this role, Weed will manage the gathering and analyzing of information for the organization’s strategic planning initiatives. He will be responsible for research, planning and evaluation of new and/or existing Floyd programs and services. In addition, he will ensure the availability of timely and accurate information about the operations of Floyd Medical Center and its affiliates to internal departments and external organizations. Weed earned his Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Georgia Southern University, Statesboro. Prior to joining Floyd, he served as the director of purchasing with Peach State Labs Inc. He and his wife, Sherry, reside in Rome.

March for Babies set for April 24; Jaylon Phillips is 2010 ambassador

(Media release) The 2010 March of Dimes’ annual March for Babies is under way. It is the nation’s oldest walk fundraiser honoring babies born healthy and those who need help to survive and thrive.

This year’s Floyd County Special Ambassador is Jaylon Phillips. Jaylon is the son of Jerome and Dee Dee Phillips of Rome. At the kickoff breakfast at the Rome Civic Center Feb. 23, Dee Dee shared her story about the joys of pregnancy and the anticipation of starting a family. However, her seemingly perfect pregnancy took a drastic turn when at 24 weeks, she had to deliver Jaylon in order to save her own life. He spent 4 months in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) before being released. Today, Jaylon is a vibrant 4 year-old boy with a smile that warms the hearts of those who meet him. The Phillips’ are dedicated to making sure every parent has the same happy ending.

In the photo, the Phillips are joined by Randy Quick, right, the Floyd County March for Babies Chair. Randy, who is the General Manager of Rome Radio Partners, knows how important the March of Dimes mission is. As a father of a pre-mature daughter himself, he took on the role to raise awareness and important funding to provide for babies who are born premature or with birth defects.

The March for Babies Event will be held on April 24 at Berry College. Registration begins at 9 a.m.with the 4-mile walk kicking off at 10 a.m. Participation in March for Babies will provide a memorable and rewarding day for the whole family including lunch, music, costume characters, face painting and more. To register for this event in your community, visit www.marchforbabies.org.

Funds raised by March for Babies in Georgia help support prenatal wellness programs, research grants, neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) family support programs and advocacy efforts for stronger, healthier babies.

The most urgent infant health problem in the U.S. today is premature birth. It affects more than half a million babies each year, with the number growing every day. This past November, the March of Dimes issued a Report Card on Premature Birth, giving the nation a “D” and Georgia the grade of “F.” The March of Dimes is committed to reducing this toll by funding research to find the answers to problems that continue to threaten the health of babies.

The March for Babies is sponsored nationally by the March of Dimes number one corporate supporter Kmart, as well as Farmers Insurance Group, CIGNA, Continental Airlines, Famous Footwear, FedEx, First Response, and Mission Pharmacal. Local sponsors include Macys, Publix, Georgia Power, Temple Inland, and Harbin Clinic.

To join in, visit marchforbabies.org, or call Michele Beal at (678) 564-5231, to sign up as an individual; to start a corporate, family/friends team; or to donate to help babies be born healthy.