'Cards for Caregivers', nominations for Kay Sidway Award: Seacoast health news

Portsmouth Herald
·7 min read

Wentworth-Douglass awards $40K to support SOS Recovery

Wentworth-Douglass Hospital has awarded a $40,000 grant to SOS Recovery Community Organization, to assist in expanding access to treatment for substance misuse. From left to right are Michelle Hanson and John Burns.
Wentworth-Douglass Hospital has awarded a $40,000 grant to SOS Recovery Community Organization, to assist in expanding access to treatment for substance misuse. From left to right are Michelle Hanson and John Burns.

DOVER – Wentworth-Douglass Hospital has awarded a $40,000 grant to SOS Recovery Community Organization, to assist in expanding access to treatment for substance misuse.

SOS Recovery provides peer-assisted recovery support, and wellness plan provisions, for those seeking or new to recovery from substance use disorders. The funds will be used to obtain and distribute supplies needed to support daily living and harm reduction efforts.

“SOS Recovery is making a positive and significant impact in the community, and we are thankful to be able to help support them once again,” said Michelle Hanson, Director of Strategic Planning and Community Benefit at Wentworth-Douglass. “The work plan associated with these funds will have a meaningful impact on the health of our community by enhancing outreach efforts and referral to treatment, reducing transmission of chronic infections and diseases, and mitigating the impact of infection for individuals recovering from substance use disorder and experiencing unstable housing and homelessness.”

In 2016, Wentworth-Douglass also awarded more than $110,000 to the organization to support the development of their recovery center at 4 Broadway in Dover.

“On behalf of our entire team, we want to thank everyone at Wentworth-Douglass Hospital for their generous funding over the last several years,” said John Burns, Director of SOS Recovery. “SOS has had tremendous success because of the funding it received from WDH for our peer-based recovery community organization, and this continues to be an excellent fit with the hospital’s mission.”

Wentworth-Douglass conducts a Community Health Needs Assessment every three years to identify where the hospital should focus its programs and services to improve the overall health of the individuals and families it serves. The funds donated are approved by the hospital’s Community Benefit Funding Disbursement Committee and are not raised through any public or private donations.

York Hospital advances patient screening technology

York Hospital's Mallory Evans, MSN, RN, FNP-C, Director Lung Nodule Clinic and Mike Collins, RT(R)(CT) Director of Imaging
York Hospital's Mallory Evans, MSN, RN, FNP-C, Director Lung Nodule Clinic and Mike Collins, RT(R)(CT) Director of Imaging

YORK, MAINE —With the recent arrival ofthe 128-Slice Philips Incisive CT Scanner, York Hospital is now providing the latest in imaging technology to patients in Southern Maine and the Seacoast.

The patient-centric scanner accommodates a wide range of exams and delivers faster, more reliable CT imaging, leading to valuable clinical insights. It uses an advanced X-ray technique known as computed tomography, which enables providers and radiologists to view bones, organs, blood vessels and even the heart in extraordinary detail. In turn, this helps to diagnose a wide variety of conditions earlier and faster than ever before.

“The Philips Incisive CT Scanner will greatly benefit our medical staff and the patients we care for across our services lines. In addition, our provider team at Pulmonary Associates of York Hospital is particularly excited for our patients who will benefit from its use for lung cancer screening,” said Mallory Evans, MSN, RN, FNP-C, director of York Hospital’s Lung Nodule Clinic. “With early diagnosis, a lung cancer patient’s chance of survival over 10 years jumps to 92%.”

Additionally, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recommends annual low-dose CT scan screening following a patient-provider discussion for high-risk individuals (ages 50-77 years with a smoking history of more than 20 years), current smokers or those who have quit within the past 15 years. Eighty-seven percent of eligible Medicare and Medicaid patients are not screened for lung cancer, despite having insurance coverage.

Another advantage of this technology is lower dose CT capability, which means patients will be exposed to less radiation during their exams. (CT scanners use X-rays, a form of radiation, to capture images.) This is significant since everyone is exposed to small amounts of environmental radiation, such as cosmic radiation from the sun, naturally occurring radioactive materials in the ground and our bodies, and the radon found in many households. Philips low-dose CT scanning keeps patients’ overall health at the forefront, provides precise images for diagnosis and treatment and improves clinical outcomes.

To find out whether lung screening is right for your or learn more about the benefits of 128-Slice Philips Incisive CT Scanner for your health care, contact your primary care provider to schedule an appointment. If you are looking for a new primary care provider, call the York Hospital Care Access Team at 207-752-8642 for assistance.

Granite VNA accepting nominations for Kay Sidway Award

CONCORD – Granite VNA is accepting online nominations for its 24th annual Kay Sidway Award. The award is presented to an individual who has devoted himself or herself to the education, nurturing, and well-being of families in any one of the Central New Hampshire communities served by Granite VNA. Nominations can be submitted through March 15 by completing this online form: www.granitevna.org/content/kay-sidway-award-nomination.

Granite VNA seeks to honor an individual who lives and/or works in any of the 82 communities served by Granite VNA and:

  • leads by example in working to improve quality of life for fellow citizens;

  • demonstrates a concern for the health and well-being of those in his or her community;

  • makes a meaningful difference for children and families in Central New Hampshire;

  • demonstrates a commitment to the education, nurturing, and well-being of families; and

  • collaborates with local agencies to identify needs that, when addressed, strengthen families in his or her community.

Nominations must include the nominee’s name and, if applicable, their organization and position or title. Submissions must also include a narrative, no longer than 500 words, describing how the nominee meets the award criteria.

The 2023 Kay Sidway Award will be presented at Granite VNA’s annual Passion for Caring fundraising event on Wednesday, May 3, at The Barn at Bull Meadow in Concord.

More information about Passion for Caring and about the Kay Sidway Award, visit www.granitevna.org/passionforcaring.

‘Cards for Caregivers’ Campaign

ROCHESTER and PORTSMOUTH – HCA Healthcare Hospitals in New Hampshire – Frisbie Memorial Hospital, Parkland Medical Center, and Portsmouth Regional Hospital – have launched a ‘Cards for Caregivers’ campaign now through Feb. 14 to recognize the sacrifices healthcare workers make every day to deliver high-quality care to patients and their families. Community members can show healthcare heroes at HCA Healthcare sites of care across New Hampshire their support now and through Valentine’s Day as part of this campaign.

How to Join the Campaign:

  • Help Spread The Message: Share information on how to send a physical or digital card to a caregiver with your family, friends, colleagues, and the local community. Invite them to join in recognizing healthcare heroes at HCA Healthcare sites of care across New Hampshire. We also encouragethanking caregivers at fellow hospitals and healthcare systems throughout the Granite State.

  • Promote Your Message of Gratitude: Social media helps bring our community together in many unique ways. You can post a message, photo of your card, or video on social media with a message of gratitude for healthcare heroes. We also encourage you to share the link to send a physical or digital card and tag your local HCA Healthcare hospital or site of care in New Hampshire so local healthcare heroes and their families see your post.

  • Mail a Physical Card to your Local Hospital or Site of Care: Mail a printable card or use your own personal card to send to your local HCA Healthcare hospital or site of care. Your card will be hung on the hospital walls so caregivers and support staff can see your words of support.

  • Send a Digital Card to Local Healthcare Heroes: Send a digital card to your local healthcare heroes at HCA Healthcare hospitals. Your message will be added to the ‘Cards for Caregivers’ website page and will be shared across social media channels.

  • Say ‘Thank You’ to a Healthcare Hero: If you know one personally, thank a healthcare hero when you see them. Whether you receive care at an HCA Healthcare site of care or at a fellow hospital and healthcare system in New Hampshire, we encourage you to participate.

  • Download a Printable Card: We invite you to share your gratitude and words of support for our colleagues by using the online form or downloading a printable card to mail to your local site of care. To download a printable card, hcah-p-001-delivery.stylelabs.cloud/api/public/content/b4936259cf92470a87a763bbb42f9e36?v=b2093da2

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: 'Cards for Caregivers', Kay Sidway Award: Seacoast health news