Oak Ridge Today

Battle of the bands helps Hospitality Houses at MMC

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Doc Rock Check Presentation

Local physician band Second Opinion donated $2,211 to Methodist’s Hospitality Houses, the band’s health charity of choice, when they competed at Doc Rock. Pictured from left are Sandra Jernigan, Knoxville Academy of Medicine Alliance member; John Jernigan, MD, Second Opinion drummer and retired otolaryngologist; Kim Maes, Hospitality House coordinator at Methodist Medical Center; and Ken Luckmann, MD, Second Opinion band member and retired gastroenterologist. (Photo submitted by Covenant Health)

 

Second Opinion, an Oak Ridge-based physician band, has donated $2,211 to the Hospitality Houses of Methodist Medical Center. The donation was from the band’s participation in Doc Rock for Health, an annual battle of the bands, which was hosted by the Knoxville Academy of Medicine Alliance at Knoxville’s Old City earlier this year.

On June 19, Kim Maes, coordinator of the Hospitality Houses, was presented with the check. The houses have been the band’s longtime charity of choice for the event. Their participation has helped raise more than $10,000 for the Hospitality Houses.

Methodist’s Hospitality Houses primarily provide free lodging to families and patients who travel to Methodist for cancer treatment, as well as other outpatients who require extended treatment. [Read more…]

Appeals court rules in favor of Covenant Health, other defendants in excessive radiation lawsuit

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Methodist Medical Center Main Entrance

A three-judge appeals court panel has ruled in favor of Covenant Health and two other defendants in five lawsuits that alleged that the absence of shielding in part of the emergency department at Methodist Medical Center exposed five X-ray and radiologic technologists, including two who were pregnant, to excessive radiation.

The unanimous opinions by the three Tennessee Court of Appeals judges—D. Michael Swiney, John W. McClarty, and Thomas R. Frierson II—were filed June 9 in Knoxville. They affirmed an order by Anderson County Circuit Court Judge Donald R. Elledge granting a summary judgement in favor of the defendants: Covenant Health, Rentenbach Engineering Company, and TEG Architects LLC.

The lawsuits were filed in January 2014 by Connie Raby, Keith Gillis, Michael Phillips, Mary Ridenour on behalf of her and her child, and Micah Noelle Lewellen on behalf of her and her child.

The lawsuits alleged that the technologists were exposed to excess radiation for several years at Methodist Medical Center because some walls in and around a radiology imaging center in the new emergency department, which opened in February 2006 as part of a hospital remodel, were built without the required lead shielding, elevating the workers’ risk of health problems, including cancer. [Read more…]

Mapping a Difference: Roane State student charts Remote Area Medical services

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Chris Zerr

Chris Zerr

Roane State Community College Geographic Information Systems (GIS) student Chris Zerr said she has “loved maps since I was a little kid.”

“They’re like putting together a puzzle that has lots of pieces. Maps allow you to discover what’s there and what’s not there,” she said.

Maps that Zerr recently designed are helping people discover where they can find affordable and often much-needed medical care.

As an honors project for Roane State, Zerr focused on an organization that benefits thousands of people. Remote Area Medical, or RAM as most people know it, was established in 1985 by Stan Brock to provide basic medical care through mobile clinic events in underserved, isolated or impoverished communities. [Read more…]

Letter: Free Medical Clinic acknowledges volunteer nurses, more nurses needed

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To the Editor:

During National Nurses Week and throughout the year, the Free Medical Clinic (FMC) is proud to celebrate the role nurses play in delivering the highest level of quality care to our patients.

The strong commitment, compassion, and care FMC nurses display in their practice and profession contribute significantly to the good health of the residents of Anderson, Morgan, and Roane counties who can’t afford to pay for health care and have no other access to the medical services they need.

Volunteers are the lifeblood of FMC. We would like to acknowledge the nurses who volunteer. They include Kari Bowling, Meghan Cadmus, Valerie Cheatham, Jay Cole, Dot Dare, Maury Dickson, Sara Gilmartin, Carole Holbrook, Ellen Kennel, Michelle Kirchenstiner, Karen Kirkland, Linda Quinley, Karen Reardon, Pat Redmon, Luther Rogers, Katie Salzano, Peggy Smith, Tracey Viau, and Karen Wilken. [Read more…]

Photos: Lavender Festival on Saturday

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Lavender Festival in Oak Ridge 2015

The Lavender Festival celebrates “all things herbal” in Jackson Square from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, June 20, 2015. (Photo by Julio Culiat)

 

The Lavender Festival celebrates “all things herbal” in Jackson Square until 3 p.m. today (Saturday, June 20).

It’s the 17th annual festival, and there is no cost to attend. Here are photos by Julio Culiat.

The Lavender Festival focuses on herbs, health, gardening, and cooking, and it features more than 100 vendors, a dozen herb and health presentations, children’s activities, and many musicians. Vendors line the covered walkways of Jackson Square, the parking lot, and both sides of Broadway Avenue, which is closed to traffic.

See this previous story for more information.

[Read more…]

Autism specialist to make presentation in Oak Ridge on Saturday

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Phil Axtell

Phil Axtell

Dr. Phil Axtell, a Knoxville psychologist specializing in Autism Spectrum Disorders, will discuss Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome diagnoses and interventions for both children and adults on Saturday, June 20, at Grace Lutheran Church in Oak Ridge. The church is located at 131 West Gettysburg Avenue.

The presentation will begin at 10:30 a.m. Saturday in the church fellowship hall.  The event is free and open to the public, and child care will be provided.

Children are increasingly being diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), including Asperger’s Syndrome according to recent research. In 2010, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network reported that 1 in 68 children were identified with ASD in their study covering 8-year-olds in 11 U.S communities over the years 2000-2010, a press release said. [Read more…]

Physicians Forum: Overview of Tennessee Workers’ Compensation—2015

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Robert Snyder

Robert Snyder

A June 30 forum will focus on workers compensation reforms in Tennessee.

During the forum, Dr. Robert B. Snyder, medical director for the Division of Workers’ Compensation and Jeff Francis, assistant administrator in the Workers’ Compensation Division, Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, will present a seminar titled “Overview of Tennessee Workers’ Compensation—2015.”

It’s been organized by the Anderson County Chamber of Commerce and scheduled for Tuesday, June 30, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at the Goff Medical Sciences Building, Goff 104, at Roane State Community College at 701 Briarcliff Avenue in Oak Ridge. The forum is sponsored by Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge. [Read more…]

Emory Valley Early Learning Center receives ‘Gold Sneaker’ designation

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In front row, left to right, are Nina Vasquez, Kwan Davis, Brock Smith, and Tommy Meredith. In back, from left to right, are Patty Campbell, Anderson County Health Department nutritionist; Terry Frank, Anderson County mayor; Terry Peek, director of the Emory Valley Early Learning Center; and Jennifer Enderson, president of the Emory Valley Center. (Photo courtesy of Anderson County Health Department)

In front row, left to right, are Nina Vasquez, Kwan Davis, Brock Smith, and Tommy Meredith. In back, from left to right, are Patty Campbell, Anderson County Health Department nutritionist; Terry Frank, Anderson County mayor; Terry Peek, director of the Emory Valley Early Learning Center; and Jennifer Enderson, president of the Emory Valley Center. (Photo courtesy of Anderson County Health Department)

 

The Emory Valley Early Learning Center in Oak Ridge recently completed all requirements to be considered a “Gold Sneaker” facility by the State of Tennessee.

And on June 10, Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank and employees of the Anderson County Health Department presented Emory Valley Learning Center with its Gold Sneaker incentives. The Gold Sneaker Initiative designation, developed by the Tennessee Department of Health, is an enhanced certification for daycares in Tennessee and requires that these centers maintain rigorous standards of physical activity, nutrition, and a tobacco-free campus, a press release said.

“The team at Emory Valley Center was so proud of their recognition, as they should be,” Frank said in the press release. “A focus on health and wellness during the early years is assuredly an investment in a healthy adulthood. I congratulate their wonderful team’s hard work and commitment meeting the standards of the governor and the Department of Health.” [Read more…]

Methodist, AARP offer safe driving program for seniors

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To help senior drivers hone their safety skills, Methodist Medical Center is sponsoring the AARP Driver Safety Program to be held on June 15 and 16 from 1 to 5 p.m. each day in the Cheyenne Ambulatory Center’s conference room, located at 944 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

The eight-hour classroom refresher course is designed to help drivers 50 years and older to improve their skills. Most auto insurance carriers are required to offer discounts for drivers who complete this accredited course.

The course explains the age-related changes that occur in vision, hearing, and reaction time and provides useful driving safety tips for handling these changes. Certified AARP instructor Jack Cowen will be presenting this course through a combination of group discussion and video activities.

Class size is limited and registration is required. The fee for the course is $15 for AARP members and $20 for non-AARP members. For more information or to register, call (865) 483-1615. If leaving a message, be sure to include name, address, date of birth, driver’s license number, and AARP membership number if applicable.

Survivor Sundae honors cancer survivors, families, friends

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Mt. LeConte Jug Band

The Mt. LeConte Jug Band is pictured at the 2014 Survivor Sundae. (Submitted photo)

 

With improved screenings and advanced treatment, more and more people are beating cancer each year. But that doesn’t change the significance of being a cancer survivor and the hard fight to put cancer in its place.

Join Methodist Medical Center and Thompson Cancer Survival Center at Methodist as they celebrate National Cancer Survivors Day on Sunday, June 7, with Survivor Sundae. This special ice cream social will take place from 2-4:30 p.m. at the Cheyenne Ambulatory Center at 944 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

Survivor Sundae will honor cancer survivors and their families who have supported them along the way. [Read more…]

Clinton Fire Department has car seat checkpoint on Tuesday

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The Clinton Fire Department’s monthly car seat checkpoint is from 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, June 2.

The event, held at Clinton Fire Station Number One (across from Big Lots), is inside the fire truck bays, so rain or shine, they will be checking seats, a press release said. Technicians from the Clinton Fire Department, Anderson County Sheriff’s Office, Anderson County EMS, East Tennessee Children’s Hospital, and the Safe Kids Coalition will be on hand to check out your child’s car seat.

Statistics show that more than 80 percent of all child passenger seats are not installed correctly, potentially putting the child at greater risk in the event of a vehicle crash, the press release said. [Read more…]

MMC offers exercise, childbirth, support group classes in June

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Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge is offering exercise, childbirth, and support group classes in June. Here is a list of the classes and their schedules.

Methodist Medical Center’s June Classes

Prepare for Your Baby’s Birth, Exercise for Better Health, Find a Support Group to Meet Your Needs

Whether you want to get in shape, prepare for the birth of a baby, or find support from others going through a similar experience, Methodist has a class for you!

Classes will be held at the hospital, located at 990 Oak Ridge Turnpike in Oak Ridge, unless otherwise noted. For more information and registration, call (865) 835-4662 or 1-800-468-6767.

Community Classes

Mended Hearts Support Group, Thursday, June 18 at 6 p.m [Read more…]