Winter 2016

CLINCHVALLEYHEALTH.COM

6LIFESAVING

IDEAS!

MEET YOUR

CLINCH VALLEY HEALTH

CARDIAC CARE TEAM

MAKE A STATEMENT ON

FEBRUARY 5

FOR WOMEN

HOW TO LIVE A HEART-HEALTHY LIFE

Go Red

Clinch Valley Health

New Weight Loss & General SurgeonDR. JOSEPH C. MORAN URGENT CAREOPENING MARCH 1ST!

CLINCH VALLEY RECEIVES

A GRADE FOR PATIENT SAFETY

2 Clinch Valley Health | winter 2016

AN INTERVIEW WITH CLINCH VALLEY’SDR. JOSEPH MORANNew Hope for Our Patients

Struggling with Weight Control

Dr. Moran shares his insights on the new Bariatric Surgery program at Clinch Valley Health.

JOSEPH MORAN, M.D., is the Medical Director of the Sur-gical Weight Loss program at Clinch Valley Health. Prior to moving to Virginia, Dr. Moran was part of a private

surgical practice for nine years in Raleigh, NC, where he served as the

failed weight loss, in addition to treatment of weight loss procedure complications. He

is a Fellow of The American College of Surgeons and The

American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. Dr. Moran is also board certified by The American Board of Surgery.

Q Why did you choose to specialize in bariatric

surgery?

A I needed to be involved in the treatment of those struggling

with their weight and also suffer from other co-morbidities. It is very re-warding and satisfying as a physician to know you can have such a profound impact on someone’s life in a very short period of time.

QWhat are some common misconceptions when it

comes to bariatric surgery?

ASome common misconceptions people tend to have include: that it’s

cosmetic surgery, it’s very dangerous, and that there are high mortality rates.

QHow long have you been performing bariat-

ric procedures and what is the most common surgery you perform?

A I have been in practice since com-pleting my fellowship in 2004.

Most common bariatric procedures I perform are Roux-en-y, gastric bypass, and vertical sleeve gastrectomy.

Q You are also a general surgeon, what

procedures other than bariatric do you perform?

A The most common general surgery procedures I perform

include laparoscopic cholecystectomy (surgical removal of the gallbladder), laparoscopic appendectomy, porta Cath placement, skin lesion excision,

first Medical Director of the Bariatric Surgery program at Rex Healthcare. Dr. Moran has performed over 2,000 bariatric procedures. He specializes in the Roux-en-y Gastric Bypass, Sleeve Gastrectomy, laparoscopic adjust-able gastric band (LAP-BAND) and revisional bariatric procedures for

COVER story WELCOMEDR. JOSEPH

MORAN TO CLINCH VALLEY

Dr. Moran and his nurse, Gail Tatum, LPN, at their Clinch Valley Surgical Center office.

winter 2016 | Live Well! 3www.clinchvalleyhealth.com

bowel resection and upper and lower endoscopies.

Q Where are you originally from?

A Born and raised in Long Island NY and N.Y.C. I recently moved

from Raleigh, NC where I was in pri-vate surgical practice for 9.5 years.

Q What have you enjoyed most about living in

Richlands and working at Clinch Valley Health so far?

HOURS: Monday-Friday: 7 a.m. - 7 p.m., Saturday and Sunday: 8 a.m.-6 p.m.SERVICES: General Lab, X-ray and Drug Screen Testing LOCATION: Across from Walmart in Claypool Hill in former Southern Pottery

CLINCH VALLEY HEALTH will be opening its new entity, Clinch Valley Urgent Care, on March 1st. The new urgent care will be located in Claypool Hill across from Walmart in the former Southern Pottery

building. Clinch Valley Urgent Care will be staffed with Nurse Practitioners and will be providing general lab, x-ray, and drug screen testing services. The hours of operation will be 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

A I really enjoy the feeling of a small town, getting to meet and

know everyone not just at work but also in the community.

Q Outside of work, what hobbies or activities

do you enjoy?

A Exercising, reading, cooking, traveling, and learning to play

the guitar. Huge fan of all things clas-sic rock, especially U2!

A MESSAGE FROM OUR CEO

PETER MULKEYCEO

Life-Saving by the

NumbersDO YOU KNOW your

cholesterol numbers? If you don’t, you could be

risking your life. High cholesterol can cause your arteries to narrow, restricting blood flow and eventually producing heart and circulation problems—even a heart attack or stroke! Take the first step in fighting high cholesterol. Schedule an annual physical exam with your personal physician, who will check your four critical heart health numbers: cholesterol level, blood pressure, blood sugar levels and your resting heart rate. After completing this initial exam, further tests may be required. And that’s where we come in. Our hospital has the expertise and the diagnostic technology—everything from an electrocardiogram to an MRI—to give your heart and circulatory system a thorough examination. We can also create a customized diet and exercise program to reduce your risk of heart disease. Having a healthy heart can start right now, right here, at Clinch Valley Medical Center.

New Urgent Care Coming in March to

Claypool Hill

4 Clinch Valley Health | winter 2016

EVERYHeartbeat MATTERS

OVER THE YEARS, there have been many different types of cardiac monitors

that have been extremely useful in the diagnosis of patients with unexplained fainting, fluttering or palpitations. The latest innovation is the “Reveal LINQ” implantable cardiac monitoring system, which at the size of a wooden matchstick, is the smallest heart monitor currently on the market. It can detect and record abnormal heart rhythms for up to 3 years, and is safe for use in MRIs (in a specified environment and with specified conditions of use).

The LINQ monitor is implanted under the skin by way of a small incision – no surgery involved, no stitches – and the whole process takes about 15 seconds. The LINQ is not visible in most patients, should cause no discomfort, and can be easily removed when needed. Once implanted, the LINQ connects wire-lessly to a station in the patient’s home and through a phone line to a

Heart HelpNew LINQ

Cardiac Monitor

remote monitoring center that routine-ly and regularly informs the cardiologist as to the patient’s condition.

According to Dr. Jose Piriz, Cardiologist with the Heart & Vascular Institute at Clinch Valley Medical Center, “The nice thing about the LINQ is that it is connected wirelessly, so I constantly have access to what’s going on with the patient. If there’s anything unusual on the report, we can follow up immediately.” Dr. Piriz has already implanted LINQs in several of his patients. “For one of these patients, the heart actually stopped for 4 to 6 seconds. I immediately got a call from the monitoring company, and we got the patient in and installed a pacemaker. We found this problem thanks to the LINQ. With the older 24 hour monitors, catching such a problem could be a matter of being lucky.”

For more information about the LINQ cardiac monitoring device, please contact the Heart & Vascu-lar Institute at Clinch Valley Medi-cal Center at 276-596-6060.

Implantable Cardiac Monitor is a Tremendous Benefit to

Patients and Their Cardiologists

New Pacemaker Technology

Allows Patients to Safely Undergo Magnetic Resonance

Imaging (MRI) Testing

THE USE OF implantable cardiac devices, such as pacemakers, is increasing dramatically in the United

States. An estimated 75% of patients with an implanted cardiac device will need magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at some point during their lifetime. In the past, MRI was not advised for patients with implantable

cardiac devices due to concerns that the MRI’s powerful magnetic field might cause damage or a malfunction. Now, new pacemakers and wires, approved for use by the Food and Drug Administration, are constructed of special metal alloys that allow for MRI imaging.

According to Dr. Jose Piriz, a special-ist in Cardiology at Clinch Valley Medi-cal Center, “It’s a crucial step forward in pacemaker technology. Before, if you had a pacemaker, you couldn’t do an MRI. So, they’ve developed these pacemakers now with special alloy ma-terials that are actually MRI compatible. This new type of pacemaker makes it a lot easier for more patients to get the benefit of MRI technology, which is great for detecting a lot of different body abnormalities.”

Dr. Piriz is a part of the Clinch Valley Heart & Vascular Institute and specializes in Non-Invasive/Nuclear Cardiology for the di-agnosis and treatment of heart and vascular illness. Dr. Piriz has been instrumental in amplifying cardiology

services at Clinch Valley Medical Center such as the Nuclear Cardiology Lab and Echocardiology Lab.

For more information, visit www.clinchvalleyhealth.com or call 276-596-6060.

Dr. Jose PirizCardiologist

winter 2016 | Live Well! 5www.vaughanregional.com

6 Ways to

In addition to having your cholesterol checked, talk to your doctor about these important health screenings.

☐ Weight and HeightLosing as little as five to 10 percent of your body weight can lower your blood pressure and reduce your risk for heart disease and diabetes. How Often: Once a year or more often if overweight.☐ Body Mass Index (BMI)Your BMI measures the relation between your height and your weight. A healthy BMI is considered between 18.5 and 24.9.How Often: Once a year. ☐ Blood PressureAnything over 140/90 is considered high blood pressure, increasing your risk for heart attack and stroke.How Often: Once a year or more often if high.☐ MammogramThis exam checks for breast cancer in women.How Often: Once a year starting at age 40 as long as you are in good health.☐ Prostate ExamChecks for prostate cancer, the most common non-skin cancer in America, affecting 1 in 7 men.How Often: Talk to your doctor to determine which prostate exams are right for you.☐ ColonoscopyThis procedure looks inside the large intestine for cancer or pre-cancerous growth.How Often: Once every 10 years starting at age 50.

SAVE YOUR OWN LIFE

TO-DO-LIST

www.clinchvalleyhealth.com

Clinch Valley Medical Center Earned an ‘A’ Grade for

Patient Safety in Leapfrog’s Fall 2015 Hospital Safety Score

AN ANNOUNCEMENT RELEASED NATIONALLY by the independent hospital watchdog, The Leapfrog Group, shows key shifts among many hospitals on the A, B, C, D and F grades, rating them on errors, injuries, accidents and infections. Clinch

Valley Medical Center, an entity of Clinch Valley Health, earned an A in this elite national ratings program, recognizing its strong commitment to patient safety. The Hospital Safety Score is the gold standard rating for patient safety, compiled under the guidance of the nation’s leading patient safety experts and administered by The Leapfrog Group, a national, independent nonprofit. The first and only hospital safety rating to be peer-reviewed in the Journal of Patient Safety, the Hospital Safety Score is free to the public and designed to give consumers information they can use to protect themselves and their families when facing a hospital stay.

“Clinch Valley Medical Center’s A grade is a powerful reminder of its commitment to putting patient safety above all else, and we are pleased to recognize the persistent efforts of your clinicians and staff to protect your patients,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group, which administers the Hospital Safety Score. “Our families, neighbors, colleagues and friends deserve a hospital that will pull out all the stops to keep them safe, and we urge Clinch Valley Medical Center and all other A hospitals to preserve and renew your commitment to safety year after year.” 

Developed under the guidance of Leapfrog’s Blue Ribbon Expert Panel, the Hospital Safety Score uses 28 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to produce a single A, B, C, D, or F score, representing a hospital’s overall capacity to keep patients safe from preventable harm. More than 2,500 U.S. general hospitals were assigned scores in October 2015, with 773 hospitals receiving an A grade. The Hospital Safety Score is fully transparent, offering a full analysis of the data and methodology used in determining grades on the website. Patients can also review their hospital’s past safety performance alongside its current grade on the Hospital Safety Score site, allowing them to determine which local hospitals have the best track record in patient safety and which have demonstrated consistent improvement.

“Clinch Valley Medical Center is extremely proud of the most recent score of an A received from Leapfrog,” said Peter Mulkey, Clinch Valley Health CEO. “Providing quality care in a safe environment is the goal of each employee, when caring for our community.”

To see Clinch Valley Medical Center’s full score, and to access consumer-friendly tips for patients and loved ones visiting the hospital, visit www.hospitalsafetyscore.org or follow The Hospital Safety Score on Twitter or Facebook. Consumers can also download the free Hospital Safety Score mobile app for Apple and Android devices.

Clinch Valley Medical Center

APATIENT SAFETY RATING

6 Clinch Valley Health | winter 2016

EVERY MINUTE of every day, someone in America dies from heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States. At Clinch Valley Medical Center, we’re not taking that news lying down. We’ve assembled a team of medical experts who provide a comprehensive

range of services to help you and your family prevent, detect, treat and recover from heart disease.

Your Primary Care Physicianyour primary care physician (PCP) is your first line of defense in the fight against heart disease. An annual physical exam with your PCP is one of the best ways to detect heart disease early, when treatment is usually more

successful. During the exam, your doctor will check your four critical heart-health numbers: cholesterol level, blood pressure, blood sugar levels, and your resting heart rate. Your PCP will also be familiar with your medical history, your family’s medical history and your risk factors. He or she will ask if you smoke, if you exercise regularly, and how healthy your diet is. With that knowledge, your PCP can advise you about making a few simple lifestyle changes that can make a big difference in lowering your risk for heart disease.

Other tests, such as an electrocardiogram or a stress test, may be required if your PCP believes you have a higher risk of heart disease. In some cases, you may be referred to a radiologist. If heart disease is detected, your PCP often serves as your care coordinator, responsible for the day-to-

TAKING THEFight toHEART

DISEASECLINCH VALLEY HEALTH

All the Ways We Care

Meet Your Cardiac Care Team, Taking the Fight to Heart Disease in Our Community

Pictured below—left to right: Dr. Muljibhai J. Thakkar, Cardiologist, Dr. Vijay Ramakrishnan, Interventional Radiologist, Dr. Muhammad R. Javed, Cardiologist, Dr. Jose Piriz, Cardiologist.

winter 2016 | Live Well! 7

day management of your treatment, monitoring your symptoms and managing your prescriptions.

Your Radiologist your radiologist specializes in using diagnostic imaging to detect disease.

A variety of technologies—including X-ray, ultrasound, CT scan, MRI, PET Scan and nuclear medicine—are used to screen for diseases of the heart and blood vessels. If heart disease is found and determined to be serious, you’ll usually be referred to another member of your cardiac care team, a cardiologist.

Your Cardiologist a cardiologist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of problems with the heart and arteries. In some cases, your cardiologist can serve as your primary point of contact for treating and managing your heart disease.

Some cardiologists have more specialized training. An interventional cardiologist is trained in the techniques of cardiac catheterization, performing procedures such as angioplasty and stent placement. (See the article Cardiac Cath-eterization Lab on this page.)

Your Cardiac Rehab Team cardiac rehab is a medically supervised program that provides the resources, training and education that people with heart problems need to improve their health. A team of cardiologists, dieticians, exercise therapists, physical therapists and nurse specialists work together to create a customized program of care based on your health and goals. The program includes a medical evaluation, exercise training, and counseling and guidance on living a more heart-healthy life.

Cardiac rehab has a proven track record of success. For example, people who undergo cardiac rehab after a heart attack have a 50 percent greater survival rate after three years compared to people who do not. Unfortunately, only about half of heart attack victims participate fully in a cardiac rehab program.

www.clinchvalleyhealth.com

Father and son duo, Dick Lee and Dick “Richard” Lee, Jr., faithful cardiac rehab program attendees, alongside their Registered Nurse, Lisa Shepherd.

Your heart is in the right place.

The Cardiac Catheterization Lab

T HE CARDIAC Catheterization (Cath) Lab at Clinch Valley Medical Center offers advanced practices and technologies for the diagnosis and treatment of heart disease.

Cardiac Catheterization is a highly specialized tech-nique used to check the health of the heart and the arteries. Nearly one million cardiac catheterizations are performed each year in the United States. The procedure has proven to be remarkably safe and effective.

During the procedure, a small hollow tube called a catheter is gently inserted into the blood vessels that feed the heart. A special dye is then injected into the arter-ies. This dye allows physi-

cians to use X-rays to pinpoint the size and location of any plaque, which can clog your arteries. Doctors can also check the patient’s blood flow and the pressure in the chambers of the heart.

If heart disease is diagnosed and corrective surgery is needed, our Cath Lab offers a number of treatment op-tions to dissolve blood clots, reopen blood vessels and re-move obstructions within blood vessels.  For example, an angioplasty is a non-surgical procedure used to restore blood flow through a coronary artery, which supplies blood to the heart. In some cases, a specially designed catheter with a small balloon on its tip is guided to the narrowing in the artery. When the balloon is inflated, the pressure from the balloon stretches and widens the artery. A small wire tube called a stent is then placed in the artery to keep it open.

When a narrowing of the arteries restricts blood flow in the legs, a peripheral angioplasty can be performed, us-ing the same minimally invasive technique.

Dr. Vijay Ramakrishnan

InterventionalRadiologist

8 Clinch Valley Health | winter 2016 www.clinchvalleyhealth.com

Make a Lifesaving Fashion StatementFebruary 5, 2016 is the 13th anniversary of Go Red for Women, a nationwide campaign sponsored by the American Heart Association to help raise awareness among women about the dangers of heart (cardiovascular) disease.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE2 An Interview with Weight Loss and

General Surgeon, Joseph C. Moran3 New Urgent Care Opening March 1st4 Implantable Cardiac Monitors 4 MRI Compatible Pace Maker5 Hospital Safety Score issued by Leapfrog 6 All the Ways We Care, Meet Your

Cardiac Care Team7 The Cardiac Catheterization Lab8 Make a Lifesaving Fashion Statement

6801 Gov. G.C. Perry Hwy, Richlands, VA 24641 • 276-596-6000 • www.clinchvalleyhealth.com • Winter 2016, Vol. 9, Issue 1

Here are some more surprising facts:• Only 1 in 31 women will die of breast

cancer, but heart disease causes the death of 1 out of every 3 women.

• 90 percent of women have one or more risk factors for developing heart disease.

• About 43 million women are already affected by heart disease.

• Since 1984, more women than men have died from heart disease each year.

• Every year, more women die of stroke than men. In fact, almost 60 percent of stroke deaths are women.

Go Red For Women empowers all of us with the knowledge we need to take positive action, reduce our risks for heart disease, and live stronger and healthier lives. So on February 5, make a fashion statement that could save lives. Wear something red and show your heartfelt support for Go Red For Women.Source: American Heart Association

Heart disease is the #1 threat to a woman’s health.

LiveWell! is published as a community service by Clinch Valley Health. It in no way seeks to diagnose or treat ill-ness or to serve as a substitute for professional medical care. For individual guidance, consult your physician. For more information about Clinch Valley Health or any-thing in this publication, please call 276-596-6000.

Below: Sarah Ramey, Pharm.D., BCPS, Director of Pharmacy Services.