Oak Ridge Today

Deemed ‘unlikely’ here, but county officials take preventive measures for Ebola virus

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Art Miller and Terry Frank

Art Miller, left, director of the Anderson County Health Department, talks with County Mayor Terry Frank about local preventive measures concerning the Ebola virus. (Photo courtesy of Anderson County government)

 

CLINTON—Anderson County officials are aware of the few cases of the Ebola virus in the United States and are taking early preventive measures in the unlikely event that the virus occurs here, the Anderson County Mayor’s Office said Wednesday.

Preventive measures being taken by local Health Department and emergency officials include conferencing, protocol reviews, and in-service training. This will help ensure that they “know what to do in the unlikely event that a case of the Ebola virus occurs here,” a press release said.

The release said staff members at the Anderson County Health Department recently completed a “table-top exercise” aimed at allowing the employees to plan ahead and be prepared. They used a hypothetical case and followed already-established protocol to deal with the hypothetical case. The procedures involved isolation of the hypothetical Ebola patient upon presentation to the Health Department, protection measures for other Health Department patients and staff members, and immediate communication between the local Health Department, Anderson County Emergency Medical Service, Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge, and the Health Department’s regional office in Knox County, as well as the Tennessee Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Similar exercises have been conducted in every health department office across Tennessee,” said Art Miller, director of the Anderson County Health Department. [Read more…]

Free Medical Clinic receives $10,000 grant for prediabetic program

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Free Medical Clinic

The American Medical Association Foundation has awarded a $10,000 “Healthy Communities/Healthy America” grant to the Free Medical Clinic in Oak Ridge. The grant will be used to support a two-year program that identifies and provides early intervention for prediabetic patients, a press release said.

By completing the lifestyle intervention program, participants should lower their risk of developing type 2 diabetes and improve their overall health, the release said. The prediabetes initiative will run in conjuction with the “Healthy Habits, Healthy Lives” wellness program that the clinic began this fall. The wellness program is supported by a three-year grant from the BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Health Foundation. [Read more…]

Senior Citizen Appreciation Day in Clinton

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Information from WYSH Radio/Submitted

Several organizations and businesses have organized a Senior Citizen Appreciation Day today (Tuesday, October 7) in Clinton.

It’s today (Tuesday, October 7) from 11 a.m.-4 p.m., rain or shine, at The Underwood Pavilion at the Clinton Fairgrounds.

Join organizers for a fun-filled day of music, games, free barbecue lunch, door prizes, flu shots, blood pressure checks, and lots of information on health issues, and health insurance, a press release said. There will be entertainment by Clinton’s own “Golden Girls” at 2 p.m. “You won’t want to miss this!” the press release said. [Read more…]

Honors: Nurse in Family Birthing Center named ‘MMCer of the month’

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Shelia Justice

Shelia Justice

Submitted

Shelia Justice, licensed practical nurse (LPN) in the Family Birthing Center at Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge, has been named the “MMCer of the Month” for September.

In her duties, Justice provides care for post-partum mothers and babies as well as post-operative patients in the Family Birthing and Women’s Services Center. She is a scrub nurse for c-section deliveries and assists with other deliveries. Justice also ensures that the department is well-stocked and at the ready for patients. She has been with Methodist for a cumulative 13 years.

Justice is described by Donna Longmire, director of Surgical Services, as “an asset to Covenant Health, Methodist Medical Center, and the Family Birthing Center. [Read more…]

Hidden needs in our community—filling the gaps

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Altrusa Oak Ridge, TN

A panel of community organizations assisting the homeless and precariously housed will be presenting to the Altrusa Club at their lunch meeting on Wednesday, October 8. This panel will be comprised of Annie Cacheiro from ADFAC, Zabrina Minor from TORCH, Teresa Brittain from the Free Medical Clinic, and Jennifer Enderson of Emory Valley Center. The meeting will take place at the Doubletree Hotel Oak Ridge.

“ADFAC places emphasis on the prevention of homelessness and the development of self-sufficiency,” Cacheiro said of ADFAC’s services here in Anderson County. “Short-term financial assistance and counseling are provided with the goal of stabilizing the family during times of crisis. We respond to over 6,000 requests each year.”

“Everyone should have access to health care, regardless of their ability to pay or insurance status,” Brittain said. “These clients exist here in Anderson County, and these services must be provided.” [Read more…]

Still time to sign up, sponsor Acorn Classic golf tournament for MMC Foundation

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ORHS Cheerleaders Decorate Hospitality House

Cheerleaders from Oak Ridge High School helped to decorate the Hospitality Houses of Methodist Medical Center for Christmas last year. The houses offer temporary lodging to patients and families who must travel for extended care at Methodist, even during the holidays. (File photo)

Player spots and sponsorship opportunities are still available for the Methodist Medical Center Foundation’s 2014 Acorn Classic. The annual golf tournament will take place on Monday, October 20, at the Oak Ridge Country Club with a 1 p.m. shotgun start. Registration is open for individual players and teams, and a limited number of sponsorship opportunities are also available.

The Acorn Classic is a four-person scramble tournament open to 120 amateur players, a press release said. The entry fee is $150 per player or $600 per team of four, and it includes green fees, cart, lunch, four contest holes, and a dinner awards banquet. Proceeds will benefit the Hospitality Houses of Methodist Medical Center, which provide free lodging to cancer patients who must travel for treatment, as well as other outpatients and families as space allows.

“Join us and help the Hospitality Houses provide a home away from home to patients and their families when it’s needed most,” Acorn Classic Chair Tom Hilton said. [Read more…]

Saturday: Household hazardous waste drop-off, prescription drug take-back

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There is a prescription drug take-back in Oak Ridge through 2 p.m. today (Saturday, September 27). There is also a collection of household hazardous waste, and it also ends at 2 p.m.

The prescription drug take-back is at the Oak Ridge Police Department at 200 South Tulane Avenue. The ORPD is doing this in collaboration with the Drug Enforcement Administration Prescription Drug Take-Back Day and Allies for Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP) of Anderson County.

“The Oak Ridge Police Department will give the public the opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs,” a press release said. “The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.” [Read more…]

Food, music at Taste of Oak Ridge to benefit Free Medical Clinic

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Taste of Oak Ridge

 

The format will be the same, but this year’s Taste of Oak Ridge will be held at the new Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church on Oak Ridge Turnpike—instead of in Jackson Square. It was moved because organizers weren’t sure when construction work might start on a revitalization project at Jackson Square.

Taste of Oak Ridge features food from Oak Ridge restaurants and performances by local musicians.

The sixth annual festival, scheduled from 4 to 10 p.m. Saturday, will raise money to benefit the Free Medical Clinic of Oak Ridge. The Free Medical Clinic provides free medical care to residents of Anderson, Roane, and Morgan counties who don’t have insurance and can’t afford to pay for care.

Area restaurants will showcase some of their finest food in small portions. The price range for the “tastes” from each vendor will be $1 to $4 per item. Tickets will be available for purchase at entrances to the event. Attendees can buy as many tickets as they want for $1 each. In addition, beer and wine will be available to buy.

This year’s Taste of Oak Ridge will be held in the parking lot of the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church at its new address at 809 Oak Ridge Turnpike, north of the Joe L. Evins Federal Building. [Read more…]

Hospital discharge options to be discussed Sept. 18

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Meg Tonne

Meg Tonne, parish nurse at First Presbyterian Church, will moderate a panel on hospital discharge options on Sept. 18.

Imagine you’re in the hospital for five days. You receive medications, diagnostic tests, and other hospital services, and you have Medicare.

Then, when your doctor wants to send you to a skilled nursing facility like NHC, you find out you’re classified as “outpatient observation.” Medicare will not cover your stay at such a facility unless you’ve been in the hospital for three nights as an inpatient.

After you’ve been discharged from the hospital and taken home, your son decides to hire a private caregiver for you. The caregiver does not work for a licensed home-assistance agency.

The caregiver, who is not bonded and has not had a background check, steals your expensive jewelry, camera, and some cash, but you can’t prove it. Your son fires the caregiver and hires a contract worker with a licensed agency.

The new caregiver hurts her back lifting you. Could you be sued? How can you avoid getting in such bad situations?

“When you are discharged from the hospital, you face many choices when your stress levels are high and time is limited,” said Meg Tonne, parish nurse at the church who coordinates the luncheons. “You may not understand what the options are for different levels of care and whether you qualify for the level you think you need.” [Read more…]

Honors: MMC names August employee of the month

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Gilly Lipang

Gilly Lipang

Submitted

Salvacion “Gilly” Lipang, a housekeeper in the Environmental Services Department at Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge, has been named the MMCer of the Month for August.

Lipang has been with Methodist since 2010. She is described by Chris Rhodes, environmental services director at Methodist Medical Center, as “one of the most upbeat, happy individuals I have had the privilege of meeting.” Rhodes said Lipang always has a smile on her face and is a very hard worker who will do any task asked of her to the best of her ability. Rhodes said he receives many compliments on her friendliness and dedication to her job.

Lipang received two nominations. One nomination noted, “Gilly exceeds all standards of care for our patients and performs excellent care at all times.” This nomination continued: “When she cleans the rooms for our patients, they shine. She doesn’t miss a spot; everything in the room is in its place and ready for us to greet the patients with comfort in knowing she has performed a job well done.” [Read more…]

Water Exercise class begins September 8

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The city’s next water exercise session will start September 8 and run through October 17. These classes run in six-week sessions.

The class will meet Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, from 1-2 p.m. in the indoor pool at the Oak Ridge Civic Center. The fee is $42 per person and $37.50 for anyone 65 and older for the six-week session. The rate per class is $4.25 and $2.25 for 65 and older.

For more information call the Recreation and Parks Department at (865) 425-3450 or visit www.orrecparks.org.

New Roane State building has health science labs, high-tech classrooms

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Goff Health Sciences and Technology Building

Roane State Community College officials will celebrate the new Goff Health Sciences and Technology Building during a Friday morning ribbon-cutting ceremony in Oak Ridge. Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam will be a featured guest.

 

This new $13.8 million building at Roane State Community College mixes high-tech amenities with new teaching techniques, and it eases overcrowding at the Oak Ridge campus. It adds space for health science classes and programs such as surgical technology, organic chemistry, and pharmacy technician students. It also incorporates environmentally friendly design features such as a reflective white roof, lights that adjust automatically, geothermal wells that help heat and cool the building, and rain gardens that capture storm water runoff.

The high-tech amenities include “smart dummies” that can be programmed with symptoms to train nursing students, full multimedia and wireless systems in classrooms, and more than 300 computers, including in five computer labs. There is a distance education classroom with microphones hanging from the ceiling, and an engaged learning, or “flip,” classroom, where students do homework before class and come prepared to collaborate and solve problems.

A new surgical technology program, co-sponsored with Walters State Community College, will be housed here. There is a new organic chemistry lab, and Roane State’s pharmacy technician program is moving to Oak Ridge from the college’s main campus in Harriman. There is also a “flex lab” that can be easily and quickly configured to suit the training needs of area industries. It has a high ceiling and bay door, plenty of power and conduits, and gas and ventilation.

The new three-story, 64,000-square-foot building—officially named the Goff Health Sciences and Technology Building—might be described as Melinda Hillman’s “baby.” Hillman, who is Roane State’s vice president of advancement and community relations, has spent thousands of hours during the past six years working on the project, from its inception in 2008 through the planning and fundraising stages to the end of construction. She will be among those celebrating during a Friday morning ribbon-cutting ceremony that will feature special guests, including Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam.

“It’s sort of ‘birthing a baby,’” said Hillman, who clearly has a passion for the project and hasn’t taken a vacation in a year. “I’ve worked on it so long.”

Hillman and Owen Driskill, Roane State’s director of marketing and public relations, recently led reporters on a tour of the brick-and-coated-metal building, the last expansion that the 40-acre Oak Ridge campus can accommodate. [Read more…]