Flu shots help keep hospitals from spreading illness in Marion County

Written by Hillsboro Free Press Tuesday, 08 March 2011 14:47

In the midst of National Patient Safety Awareness Week, March 6-12, the two hospitals in Marion County report they are making progress to ensure that their health care personnel, including medical staff, are protecting patients by receiving annual flu shots.

At Hillsboro Community Hospital, statistics for the 2009-10 flu season show that 87 percent of its health care personnel were vaccinated. That is a 47 percent increase over the 2008-09 vaccination rate of 40 percent, according to hospital officials.

Statistics for the 2010-11 flu season were not reported.

Meanwhile, St. Luke Hospital in Marion reports that more than 85 percent of their health care personnel, including medical staff, received a flu vac­cin­a­tion during the...

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Leffler brings experience, heart to new role at Parkside Homes

Written by Hillsboro Free Press Tuesday, 08 March 2011 14:46

Tracy Leffler is Parkside’s new health services coordinator. A familiar face has accepted a new role at Parkside Homes Inc., Hills­boro, effective the first of March.

Tracy Leffler, who has been employed at Parkside in a number of nursing-related roles since joining the staff in August 1997, has been named health services coordinator.

According to administrator Gretchen Wagner, the job of the health services coordinator is essentially the same as a director of nursing, but the title has been changed to reflect with Parkside’s commitment to cultural change, which emphasizes the needs of residents rather than the traditional institutional model of care.

“As cultural change has progressed, some of the words we use are changed to be more social minded as opposed to medical minded,” Wagner...

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Help is available for anxiety

Written by Joyce Kyle Tuesday, 08 March 2011 14:46

Every human feels anxiety on occasion; it is a part of life. All of us know what it is like to feel worry, nervousness, fear and concern. We feel nervous when we have to give a speech or go for a job interview. We know it’s normal to feel a surge of fear.

Most of us are able to manage these kinds of anxious feelings fairly well and are able to carry on with our lives without much difficulty. These feelings don’t disrupt our lives.

But millions of people suffer from devastating and constant anxiety that severely affects their lives, sometimes resulting in living in highly restricted ways. These people experience panic attacks, phobias, extreme shyness, obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors.

The feeling of anxiety is a...

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Myths can confuse heart-health benefits of omega-3s

Written by Hillsboro Free Press Tuesday, 08 February 2011 15:43

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Did you know that including omega-3s in your daily diet is an easy way to support heart health?

In fact, the American Heart Association has recommended the consumption of polyunsaturated fats, specifically omega-3 fatty acids, for good heart health.

February is recognized as American Heart Month, so it’s only fitting to review some common myths and truths about omega-3s and your heart.

“Over the past few years we’ve seen some exciting—and promising—developments in the research surrounding omega-3s and their effects on health,” said Harry Oken, board certified in internal medicine by the American Board of...

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