2 Your guide to annual health screenings GRMEDCENTER.COM In this issue Benjamin Franklin is credited with the practical advice that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. That truth certainly holds true for healthcare and for ensuring that you and your family do everything you can to prevent illness and injury. Paying attention to changes in your body is an important first step. This includes: • A lump anywhere on your body • Losing weight without trying • A constant fever • A cough that does not go away • Body aches and pains that do not go away • Changes or blood in your stools • Skin changes or sores that do not go away or get worse Even if you feel healthy, it is smart to schedule annual visits with your primary care provider to screen for diseases such as high blood pressure and diabetes, discuss future disease risks such as high cholesterol, update vaccinations, review medicines and supplements you are taking, and to maintain a relationship with your provider in case of sudden illness. In addition to seeing your provider for regular checkups, there are things you can do to stay healthy and help lower your risk for diseases. If you already have a health condition, taking these steps can help you manage it: • Don’t smoke or use tobacco • Make exercise a fun part of your daily routine • Eat healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and low-fat or nonfat dairy • If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation (no more than two drinks a day for men and no more than one drink a day for women) • Maintain a healthy weight • Always use seat belts, and use car seats if you have children Put your health first! Standard U.S. Postage PAID Yakima, WA Permit No. 157 FALL 2023 Esther Robbins, MD | Primary Care Physician
Your guide to annual health screenings 18 to 39 years old Annual health screenings at this age are often overlooked or not prioritized, but even young, healthy adults should be screened for these baseline indicators: • Blood pressure • Cholesterol • Skin exams • Family medical history • Immunizations • Mental health In addition, women in this age group should have breast exams and cervical cancer screenings. 40 to 64 years old Based on health status and family medical history, the annual screenings for people in this age group will be individualized. These are likely to check for: • Colorectal cancer • Osteoporosis • Lung cancer if a past or current smoker • Breast cancer with screening mammograms and cervical cancer with pelvic exams for women • Prostate cancer with a prostate exam for men beginning at age 50 65 and older As the body ages, the incidence of disease increases and regular screenings become all the more important. Some of the basics include: • Blood pressure screening to identify and manage hypertension. Hypertension is often referred to as a “silent killer,” as its presence is often not known until too late. Hypertension is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, kidney disease and heart attacks. • Cholesterol screening tests for LDL (the “bad” cholesterol) and HDL (the “good” cholesterol). An excess of LDL or an insufficient amount of HDL is associated with heart attacks and stroke. • Older women are particularly at risk for developing osteoporosis, making regular bone density screenings important. 2 | GRMC Health Currents
Did you know? Diabetes screening is especially important given the rising incidence of this disease. People who are overweight, have a family history of this disease or have a sedentary lifestyle are especially at risk. Genetically, African Americans, Hispanics and Native Americans are also proportionately more likely to develop diabetes. grmedcenter.com | 3 Get healthy at Guadalupe Regional Wellness Center GRMC’s Wellness Center is the perfect place to begin or continue a healthy exercise routine. The center is open seven days a week to the public, offering a first-class gym, fitness- and health-related classes, wellness initiatives, and health education. Day passes are available, as are individual and family memberships. Guadalupe Regional Wellness Center offers: • Personal training • Group fitness classes • State-of-the-art cardio and strength equipment • Functional training area • Temperature-controlled, indoor pool • Small-group and team training • Massage therapy For young athletes ages 7 to 18, we also offer the Parisi Speed School, which uses a curriculum in science and sports psychology to help every athlete reach their potential. Understanding prediabetes If you have been diagnosed with prediabetes, you are far from alone. Roughly 1 out of every 3 Americans (96 million of us!) has prediabetes. Although the condition can be silent, it can pave the way for type 2 diabetes and other complications, such as heart disease and stroke. With prediabetes, blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not high enough for a diagnosis of diabetes. At this stage, the pancreas still produces insulin to help carry glucose into your cells, but the cells stop responding to the insulin. Over time, the hardworking pancreas cannot keep up, and blood sugar rises. The good news is that these three steps are very effective in reversing this condition: 1 Eat a consistent, healthy diet, including fresh produce, whole grains and limited sweets. 2 Guard against weight gain, or shed a few pounds to bring yourself to a healthy weight. 3 Try to exercise at least 30 minutes a day—brisk walking is a good start!
Why you need vaccines Vaccines help the body’s immune system fight a particular disease or illness through the development of antibodies. Immunizations have protected millions of people from potentially deadly diseases and have significantly improved the health of all humanity since the first vaccine for cowpox was invented in 1796. Since that time, vaccines have become a welcome safeguard against devastating illnesses such as typhoid, rabies, yellow fever, whooping cough, polio, smallpox, hepatitis, measles, influenza, pneumonia and shingles. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Family Physicians recommend following a schedule of vaccines for children, including: • Diphtheria and tetanus • Measles, mumps and rubella • Chickenpox • Influenza • Hepatitis A and B • Poliovirus • Human papillomavirus Routine and recommended vaccines for adults include influenza, COVID-19 and TDaP (tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough). At age 50, the shingles vaccine is recommended, and after age 65 the pneumonia vaccine is also recommended. Depression isn’t just having “the blues.” It’s a serious medical illness that hangs like a dark cloud over millions of Americans who experience overwhelming sadness or anxiety that lasts for extended periods of time and that affects a person’s ability to function. Signs and symptoms of depression include: • Feeling sad, empty or hopeless • Feeling irritable, anxious or angry • Feeling very tired • Having trouble concentrating or remembering things • Getting too little or too much sleep • Eating too little or too much • Having trouble meeting work or family demands • Experiencing thoughts about suicide Children and teenagers are also susceptible to depression. Symptoms in this age group can include: • Withdrawing from friends and family • Losing energy • Having low self-esteem • Experiencing a change in grades, behavior or eating habits • Experiencing frequent sadness or crying Help is available The Teddy Buerger Center at Guadalupe Regional Medical Center provides a team of mental health professionals to confidently and confidentially treat people with depression or other mental health concerns, such as anxiety, grief, abuse, trauma and stress. Call 830.401.7367 for more information. IT’S REAL, AND IT’S TREATABLE Know the signs of depression grmedcenter.com | 4
Join the GRMC Volunteers Volunteering at GRMC is a great way to contribute to the community, meet new friends and make a positive difference. We have many roles and responsibilities that are filled daily by dedicated, enthusiastic and talented volunteers. Volunteers can make an impact all around the hospital in areas like: • The front information desks • Outpatient waiting areas • The gift shop • Departments: Imaging, Maintenance, Surgery, Endoscopy, Medical Records and more Whether you work from home or you are a seasoned professional, student or retiree, there is always a need for dedicated, compassionate citizens to help GRMC serve its patients and community. Contact Teresa Grimm at 830.401.7620 or tgrimm@ grmedcenter.com to get started volunteering today! Please join us for a day of pampering, shopping and screening at GRMC. To kick off Breast Cancer Awareness Month (October), this free community event will feature: Saturday, Sept. 30 10 a.m. to noon GRMC Patient Tower For more details, scan the QR code! • Kendra Scott Trunk Show • Free-flowing mimosas • Munchies • Pampering stations • Local vendors and physicians • Mammogram information JOIN US FOR SOME PAMPERING AND PREVENTION! 5 | GRMC Health Currents
HEALTH CURRENTS is published as a community service for the friends and patrons of GUADALUPE REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER, 1215 E. Court St., Seguin, TX 78155, 800.506.6394 or 830.379.2411. Website: grmedcenter.com. Robert G. Haynes, FACHE, Chief Executive Officer Kody Gann, CPA, Chief Financial Officer Daphne Blake, RN, MSN, Chief Nursing Officer Sheri Williams, RN, MSN, Chief Operating Officer Fay Bennett, VP of Employee Services Lauren Carter, VP of Physician Services Jennifer Valadez, VP of Revenue Cycle Elaine Bennett, CEO of Guadalupe Regional Medical Foundation Deana Henk, FACHE, Chief Executive Officer, Guadalupe Health Network Rhonda Unruh, MHA, RN, VP of Quality Tasha Montez, PhD, MA, CCC, SLP, CEO of Guadalupe Regional Medical Group James Lee, MD, GRMC Governing Board Chairman Michelle Rumbaut, GRMC Project Administrator Health Currents Editor: Chelsea Maldonado, Director of Marketing Information in HEALTH CURRENTS comes from a wide range of medical experts. If you have any concerns or questions about specific content that may affect your health, please contact your healthcare provider. Models may be used in photos and illustrations. 2023 © Coffey Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. Dedicated to you This edition of Health Currents is dedicated to the important theme of preventive medical care, early detection and treatment of illness, and leading a healthy and fulfilling life. We are proud to be affiliated with a wide range of top-notch primary care providers in Seguin who can help inform and lead your preventive healthcare journey—and to have been providing mental health care services at the Teddy Buerger Center since the 1990s. As one of the original members of the Guadalupe Regional Wellness Center, I can personally attest to the life-changing positive impact of regular exercise, strength training and boot camp work at the Center, and I encourage you to also explore the many fitness opportunities available here. I also know from personal experience that there are times in our lives when our bodies need the extra intervention of a physician, a diagnostic test or a therapeutic procedure. For all those times, rest assured that GRMC will be there for you and your loved ones, providing awardwinning, advanced medicine and compassionate care. Just as preventive care is an investment in your health and your family’s future, so too is a donation to Guadalupe Regional Medical Foundation (GRMF) an investment in our community’s local hospital and future. Guadalupe Regional Medical Center is a highly unusual organization. It’s the only city- and county-owned hospital in the state—an independent nonprofit with local control. Unlike the for-profit corporate hospitals seen around our region and country, we provide nationally recognized quality of care, despite not having the cushion of tax support. As you plan for your year-end giving in a few months, please consider GRMF as an excellent investment in the healthcare for our region and an opportunity to claim a tax-deductible donation. Individuals or businesses who cumulatively give more than $5,000 are acknowledged on our Garden of Giving donor wall in the Patient Tower lobby. Another way to leave a lasting legacy is to give to GRMF in your will or add us as a beneficiary on your life insurance policy. What your money is used for Donors can specify where they want their dollars to be invested, including in these accounts, scholarship funds and endowments: • Greatest Need: to enhance and advance patient care • General Endowment: for future advancements in patient care • Charitable Needs: for uninsured or unfunded patients • Guadalupe Clinic: for economically disadvantaged, chronically ill patients of Guadalupe County • Prescription Assistance Program: for lifesaving medications for uninsured patients with chronic diseases in our county • Hospice Services: for unfunded hospice patients • Cancer Assistance Endowment: for cancer patients who qualify for charity infusion chemotherapy • Pay It Forward: choose a GRMC department or program to show appreciation and support Several newly established endowments have been created by local citizens who have chosen to let their passions become their legacy through these perpetual funds. Those include the Betty Bartoskewitz Bereaved Parent Endowment Fund, which provides support for grieving parents who have experienced a pregnancy loss. The Betty Ann Matthies Education Scholarship Fund has already bequeathed its first scholarship. The Campbell Family Endowment—Pete and Judy, Randy, Rusty, and Robin—is for ongoing general needs. The Maxine and Lambert Hollub Endowment is for ongoing medical equipment to advance technology for patient care. For more information on giving to GRMF, visit our website at grmedfoundation.org. Robert Haynes, CEO of Guadalupe Regional Medical Center (GRMC) Elaine Bennett, CEO of Guadalupe Regional Medical Foundation (GRMF) Invest in the future of our community’s healthcare
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