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Vickie Group just wanted to play pickleball. That’s what the 66-year-old Chambersburg, Pa., resident told Chiemeka Onyima, M.D., D.ABA, with Meritus Pain Specialists. But her chronic lower back pain sidelined her from the game — and many other activities, including going to work. She started with physical therapy, but “it didn’t do much,” she said. “And then I finally got ahold of someone with Meritus,” Group said. “Once I got ahold of Dr. Onyima, he went through the process and helped me considerably.” The first step was trying to figure out the cause of her pain, Dr. Onyima said. “I conducted ‘diagnostic blocks’ to confirm the cause of her pain,” he said. Group said that involved getting a few shots in her back to help locate the source of the pain. “Once the diagnosis was obtained, she underwent radiofrequency ablations to provide her with long term relief for her chronic back pain,” Dr. Onyima said. “She did great with the procedure and reported a significant improvement of her quality of life and overall daily functionality.” Group complimented Dr. Onyima’s bedside manner and the thoroughness of the procedures. “He told me everything that was going to happen,” she said. “For every step, whenever he was doing anything, he told me what was about to happen.” Once the procedures were done, she was able to do most things without experiencing pain. “It made life a lot easier, that’s for sure,” she said. Dr. Onyima said making it easier is his main objective. “The main goal of pain management is to not only treat pain, but to allow individuals to re-engage with society from a social, mental, physical, and often times economic standpoint, despite their current ailment,” he said. As for Group, she’s just thankful she could get back to doing what she enjoys, playing pickleball. “I play almost every day,” Group said, “for like three hours a day.” If you would like to learn more about how to better manage your pain, visit Meritus Pain Specialists online at www.meritushealth.com/painspecialists.
NEWS & UPDATES
New grade from Leapfrog for fall 2024 is a national recognition for commitment to patient safety Meritus Medical Center earned its fourth straight “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit watchdog focused on patient safety. Leapfrog assigns an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D” or “F” grade to general hospitals across the country based on over 30 performance measures reflecting errors, accidents, injuries and infections, as well as the systems hospitals have in place to prevent them. “At Meritus Health, being dedicated to our community means prioritizing patient safety," said Chief Operating Officer Carrie Adams, Pharm.D. "Earning our fourth consecutive ‘A’ in Hospital Safety Grade reflects the commitment of our team members to safeguard our patients and enhance community health.” “Achieving an ‘A’ Hospital Safety Grade is a significant accomplishment for Meritus Medical Center,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “It reflects enormous dedication to your patients and their families, and your whole community should be proud. I extend my congratulations to Meritus Medical Center, its leadership, clinicians, staff and volunteers for their tireless efforts to put patients first.” The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade stands as the only hospital ratings program focused solely on preventable medical errors, infections and injuries that kill more than 500 patients a day in the United States. This program is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. Grades are updated twice annually, in the fall and spring. To explore Meritus Medical Center’s full grade details and to find valuable tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org. To learn more about Meritus and its mission, vision and values, go to www.meritushealth.com, and follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn.
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November 14 is World Diabetes Day, a day set aside by the International Diabetes Federation, the World Health Organization and the United Nations to raise awareness of those in diabetes care. The day was chosen because it’s the birthday of Sir Frederick Banting, who, along with Charles Best, discovered insulin in 1922. An estimated 537 million people worldwide are living with diabetes, according to the International Diabetes Federation, and 1 in 3 people nationally have prediabetes. In the tri-state area, Meritus Health offers diabetes and prediabetes classes to help folks manage the disease or prevent it. And there’s good reason for that, too, said Karessa Cameron, RN, BSN, CDCES, diabetes class educator, and Cindy Missling, diabetes prevention educator. In 2022, the Community Needs Health Assessment conducted by Healthy Washington County, of which Meritus Health is a part, found that while diabetes prevalence at 10.3 percent is similar to the rest of the state, Washington County has the second-highest rate of death as a result of diabetes at 32 percent. The assessment also noted: “Given the higher than average rates for physical inactivity, and being overweight and obese in our community, residents are at higher risk for prediabetes and developing diabetes in the future.” "These findings are a wake-up call for our community,” Cameron said. “Promoting physical activity and healthy weight management isn't just about prevention; it's about saving lives." What are prediabetes classes? You can enroll in Meritus classes that focus on preventing type 2 diabetes if you are overweight and your A1C is between 5.7 and 6.4. There are 26 classes over one year that teach you how to change your lifestyle. This includes building healthy habits and eating healthier without giving up foods you love. It also reviews how to add exercise to your daily routine, how to deal with stress and how to cope with the challenges of prediabetes. “Prediabetes classes offer more than just information — they build a supportive community, helping participants create lifelong habits that reduce the risk of diabetes,” Missling said. “Guided by trained coaches and shared goals, these programs at Meritus empower people to make lasting, healthy changes.” What are diabetes classes? Meritus Diabetes Self-Management Education is a comprehensive resource for people diagnosed with diabetes. It requires a provider referral. The program can offer a one-on-one session with a diabetes educator, a medical nutrition therapy appointment with a dietitian and up to 10 hours of individual or group education in the first year. Patients are eligible for two hours of follow-up education each year indefinitely. “The goal for diabetes education is to teach individuals how to self-manage their diabetes and have access to needed resources and support,” Cameron said.” The diabetes education classes and one-on-one sessions teach ways to manage diabetes with topics such as healthy eating, meal planning, physical exercise, screenings, blood sugar monitoring, to avoid complications of diabetes and maintain healthy living.” This ties in with “Breaking barriers, bridging gaps,” which is the theme of World Diabetes Day. That includes putting a spotlight on mental health and well-being for those in diabetes care. “Meritus’ mission is to improve the health of the community, and that means whole health — body and mind,” Missling said. “Having these classes available allows us to support our community members living with diabetes and have a healthy life.” To learn more about Meritus diabetes education, visit www.meritushealth.com/DiabetesEducation.
“Healthcare Transformation: A Guide for the Health System Board Member” provides advice on governance responsibilities in an everchanging industry Two Meritus healthcare professionals have written the book on how members of a health system board of directors can be successful in their roles. Maulik Joshi, Dr.P.H., and Aaron George, D.O., penned the second edition of “Healthcare Transformation: A Guide for the Health System Board Member” to offer health system board members an actionable, concise guide on their role, as well as provide updates on key changes in health care delivery, including evidence and contemporary examples. "In the evolving landscape of health care, board members must not only navigate complexity but also drive meaningful change,” said Joshi, President and CEO of Meritus Health. “Our aim is to equip every Board member with the knowledge and tools necessary to govern a system that works better for everyone." It is often difficult for board members in the healthcare industry to keep up with performance and strategy. Surveys continue to show that this is often not in their comfort zone, given healthcare complexity and the rate of recent change and targets for transformation. "Board members play a vital role in ensuring the mission of healthcare organizations is fulfilled, particularly when it comes to quality and safety,” said George, Associate Dean for Clinical Education for the Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine. “This book provides the necessary guidance to help them navigate their fiduciary responsibilities, with key decision-making functions that enable them to contribute to meaningful healthcare improvements." The book, a second edition published by Routledge, includes updated resources and more contemporary examples and lessons for both new and seasoned board members. This edition updates all chapters and provides three new transformers/chapters to consider from the first printing in 2009. The book is available for order at routledge.com as well as on Amazon.
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