Health News from the Creek

Emory Johns Creek Offers Education to Patients and Families

Emory Johns Creek Hospital is launching its After Supper Seminars, a series designed to help patients and family members become well-informed partners in managing their healthcare in a convenient setting.

“We know that arming our patients with information makes them active partners in their healthcare,” said Alan Wang, M.D., Chief Medical Officer at Emory Johns Creek Hospital. "Gone are the days where patients follow physician instructions without question. Today’s patients are well-read, inquisitive and empowered to help make the decisions about the course of their own care."

The first installment of the After Supper Seminar series will feature a physician panel comprised of an anesthesiologist and an orthopedic surgeon.

The first seminar topic will be "Preparing for Orthopedic Surgery: What to Expect Before, During and After." Physicians will talk about new anesthesia and pain management choices, and steps patients can take to help reduce the incidence of surgical infections.

“Research has shown that in order to decrease infections, physicians, hospitals and patients must work together towards the common goal,” said Wang.

The first week in March is Patient Safety Awareness Week, led by the National Patient Safety Foundation. The theme for 2008’s campaign is: '"Patient Safety: A Road Taken Together."

The National Patient Safety Foundation has joined forces with the World Alliance for Patient Safety to focus on the issues of health literacy and effective communication as key factors for improving patient safety. Emory Johns Creek Hospital has led the way with technologies like electronic medical administration record (eMAR), a robot medication dosing and dispensing system, and glucometrics.

The hospital was the recipient of a prestigious award this year from the state’s Partnership for Health Accountability for its successful project aimed at preventing healthcare acquired infections. The staff at Emory Johns Creek is dedicated to finding new ways to help improve patient safety. Measures like these have helped make significant improvements over the years.

“It’s more important now than ever for the medical community to recognize the patient’s contribution to their own well-being and give them tools they need,” said Wang.

The seminars give the community an opportunity to interact with our physicians and ask questions or get feedback in a casual atmosphere, without the stress oftentimes associated with a typical office visit.

Northside Health Screenings
Northside Hospital is continuing efforts to provide convenient and affordable health assessment to employees and partnering organizations.

On Feb. 26 Northside Hospital's Corporate and Community Health Solutions provided various health screenings to 120 employees of World Financial Group in Johns Creek.

"This is our second year providing screenings to World Financial Group,” said Laura Lyle, manager of CCHS."They understand the value of offering our services to their employees in order to identify risk and prevent further disease.”

Employees were given the opportunity to participate in screenings such as pulmonary function, cholesterol/glucose, sleep disorders, skin cancer, bone density, blood pressure and more.

Northside used of state-of-the-art software and technology to provide each participant with a computerized Personal Health Profile. Participants were also given recommendations and education materials based on their profiles.

World Financial Groups also received a summary of risk factors that could impact the organization.

"We had an excellent turnout, and as is typical of our corporate screening events, we learned of one case of extreme hypertension and two cases of diabetes,” said Lyle. "These individuals were sent to their personal physicians for follow up."

Northside Hospital offers new advancements in mammography.

Each year, Northside performs nearly 80,000 mammograms through outpatient screenings, diagnostic exams and ScreenAtlanta, the hospital’s mobile mammography van.

Northside Hospital is highly respected in the community for its state-of-the-art imaging services and has ranked number one for the past four years by metro Atlanta consumers in the National Research Corporation’s annual Healthcare Market Guide study. Now, Northside offers digital mammography at its imaging centers in Johns Creek Alpharetta, Atlanta, Canton, Cumming, Dawsonville, and Woodstock.

Johns Creek Emory Offers First Surgery Since FDA Approval
Emory Johns Creek hospital is continuing to make medical advancements. Christopher J. Hart, MD, Medical Director of the Atlanta Bariatric Center at Emory Johns Creek Hospital will perform the state’s first surgery to place the Realize ™ Adjustable Gastric Band since the band gained FDA approval.

The Realize band, manufactured by Johnson & Johnson, is a weight loss device implanted using laparoscopic surgery. The procedure involves a small incisions resulting in shorter hospital stays, faster recovery, smaller scars and less pain. The band can be adjusted to help patients achieve the optimum rate of weight loss.

The band was approved after a multi-center clinical trial of 276 patients in a three-year trial. Patients lost an average of 42.8 percent of their excess body weight and 35 percent of patients who completed the three-year trial lost 50 percent or more of excess body weight and 10.5 percent lost 75 percent or more of excess body weight.

The surgeons at the Atlanta Bariatric Center have performed well over 1,600 laparoscopic gastric bands and bypasses. Recognized by the Surgical Review Corporation and American Society of Bariatric Surgeons as a Center of Excellence, the Atlanta Bariatric Center at Emory Johns Creek Hospital is one of the most highly respected centers in the region.

"The Realize band gives patients another choice as they consider weight loss surgery,” said Hart.

Hart is an Atlanta native, after graduating from Vanderbilt University, he attended medical school at the University of Alabama-Birmingham. He completed his residence at the Mayo Clinic. In addition to his role as the Medical Director of the Atlanta Bariatric Center, Hart serves as the Clinical Assistant Professor of Surgery at the Emory University School of Medicine where he was a founding member of their bariatric program.

Emory Johns Creek Welcomes Leap Year Baby
Johns Creek welcomed its first “leap year” baby at 4:52 a.m. on Feb. 29.

Isayah Nathaneiel Joseph was born to parents Delbert and Hadassah Joseph of Suwanee. Dr. Suiza Chua, an obstetrician on staff at Emory Johns Creek Hospital, delivered the Joseph’s first baby and the city’s first Leap Baby. “Our experience at Emory Johns Creek was exceptional; the staff was never too busy to answer our questions,” said Delbert Joseph, the proud father. “The environment, the most pleasant and encouraging nurses we’ve ever seen – we give EJCH an A+!”