Heart Blog | Bellin Health

Getting yourself healthier with Wellocracy

Kelly Galler — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 16:59:02 +0000

I am learning about a new strategy to get people to take care of themselves and become healthier. I would love to see our nation take an active role in their individual health. So I am sharing with you, Wellocracy (TM).

Joseph Kvedar, MD writes in the cHealth Blog:
The goal of Wellocracy (TM) is at once simple and daunting – to get America moving, and to motivate our citizens to move to a healthier state. It turns out that the formula is straightforward: a) track your activity, b) find your individual set of motivational tools and c) find ways to increase your activity without disrupting your life.

Sounds like a good step forward in accountability. If we want to be healthier as a nation and decrease health care costs, we really need to take responsibility to care for ourselves. So let's get motivated! Let's start to feel better! Let's have more energy and enjoy life more!

The full article on Wellocracy (TM) can be found at this link:
http://chealthblog.connected-health.org/2012/11/25/wellocracy-is-coming-watch-for-it/

Percutaneous Valve Replacement

Kelly Galler — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 15:17:34 +0000

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Transcatheter Aortic Replacement (TAVR), a summary of the program at Bellin Health. Dr. Steven Gerndt, cardiothoracic surgeon introduces Dr. Paul Hudson, Cardiology Lead of the TAVR program. Hear the presentation here.

Learn about the guidelines, who is appropriate for a percutaneous valve, how the team works together for the best care of the patient and review of the first cases done at Bellin, the only approved hospital site in NorthEastern WI to perform this new procedure.

Listen and watch the presentation here:

http://tinyurl.com/9nwutph

Learn more about the Valve Team at Bellin here:

http://www.bellin.org/services_programs/heart_vascular_team/the_bellin_health_valve_center

Dr. Paul Hudson

aquaphoresis for decompensated heart failure

Kelly Galler — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 14:34:54 +0000

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Great presentation this morning by Dr. Donnevan Blake of Cardiology Associates of Bellin Health. The topic was on a recently added therapy for heart failure patients or fluid overloaded patients called aquaphoresis. Normally these patients are treated with increasing doses of diuretics to help them urinate off more fluid, but that doesn't always work, doesn't work enough, or the person is so used to diuretics (also known as water pills) that they no longer respond as they should.

Listen and watch the slides of the presentation here:

http://tinyurl.com/8qeeojs

Learn more about the Gambro Aquadex machine here:

http://tinyurl.com/9rd8nwl

Dr. Donnevan Blake of Cardiology Associates sees patients in Green Bay, WI, Sturgeon Bay, WI and also Iron Mountain, MI

Sapien Valve

Kelly Galler — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 17:23:33 +0000

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Action 2 News reported on the new Sapien Valve for patients who have Aortic Valve Disease and cannot have open surgery. Bellin Hospital is the only hospital in NEW to be able to perform this procedure. Click here for the story:
http://tinyurl.com/cfphvbv

Nice donation to the AHA

Kelly Galler — Thu, 10 May 2012 16:50:35 +0000

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On May 2nd, the Green Bay Community Go Red for Women Luncheon was held at Oneida Country Club and Golf. At that event, I was able to donate a check worth almost $1,000 to the American Heart Association. Trout Springs Winery was responsible for $400 of that donation and the rest of the funds came from Bellin Health employess who purchased a red hair extension in February.

Thanks so much Trout Springs Winery for donating your Friday nights in February to do wine tastings and for the great donation.

Thanks so much everyone who purchased a red hair extension in February to support Go Red for Women!

We look forward to having both of these fundraisers next year, to again raise funds for research, prevention and education of heart disease.

PROMPTING THE PUBLIC TO RISK STRATIFY THEMSELVES FOR HEART DISEASE

Kelly Galler — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 19:13:51 +0000

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Bellin’s vision: People in our region will be the healthiest in the nation. Heart disease is the number one killer but early treatment improves outcomes and decreases cost. Heart calcium scoring with Computed Tomography (CT) finds patients with sub-clinical atherosclerosis before any symptoms occur, since coronary calcification is virtually 100% specific for atherosclerosis and non-obstructive calcified plaque is predictive of coronary events. Risk factor modification begins earlier when disease is identified.

Implementation: A program for self-referral, low cost ($50) heart calcium screenings was designed. With standing orders, screening tools to identify at risk people and a 320 slice CT scanner, qualified individuals receive minimal radiation. Within 24-48 hours, a Radiologist reads the lungs fields and aorta, then Cardiology performs the calcium scoring interpretation. A nurse practitioner explains results via phone to answer questions, offer risk factor counseling and make referrals. Patients and primary care providers (PCPs) receive written results in the mail.

Evaluation and outcomes: Community demand continues to be high requiring adding "blitz Saturdays" to keep up with the requests for screening. Key to success are phone call results, with PCP or Specialist follow-up. About 23% heart calcium screenings require follow-up exams for abnormal results such as a high calcium score (>400), lung nodules and ascending aortic aneurysms.

Implication for practice: A significant amountof early heart and lung disease is found with heart calcium screenings. Offering this service at a low price allows at risk individuals the opportunity to take charge of their health, prevent progression of disease and avoid hospitalizations. Calcium scoring is a powerful motivational tool that can improve patient compliance with risk factor modification. Expanding programs like this can impact health care dollars, improve the quality of life and decrease the volume of heart attacks, lung cancers, and aortic aneurysms resulting in death.

A walk through the heart you'll never forget

Kelly Galler — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 18:52:16 +0000

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Talking about the AmeriHeart, "Bellin's Heart" at the Preventative Cardiovascular Nurses Association in Washington DC this week.

Purpose: A heart care leader provides low cost, high quality care, and makes a positive impression on consumers. This 21x17 foot, interactive, anatomically correct, walk through heart, achieves just that. Visibility. This long lasting mental image of your heart coupled with an educational tour, makes Bellin Heart and Vascular Center “Top of Mind” in our community. We show how much we care when we show-case our enormous heart. No one else in the Nation is able to teach the community the way we can.

Implementation: The AmeriHeart was rented as a trial to evaluate the community’s response to this innovative heart exhibit. RN staff gave tours and answered questions to over 700 children and adults. Tours included normal heart anatomy and visual examples of heart attack, bypass graft, endocarditis, septal wall defect, and mitral valve prolapse. The first 100 adults completed an evaluation upon exiting the heart.

Evaluation and outcomes: Questions were directed at learning if the community liked the exhibit, if they learned something from it and if they thought it would be valuable to have this exhibit at other events. There was an overwhelmingly positive response.

Implication for practice: The AmeriHeart is an interesting, exciting and attractive way to make an imprint about heart health on the community. We now own the AmeriHeart and take it to schools, health fairs, the local Heart Walk and other healthy events. In 6 months, over 4,100 people have experienced this exhibit and raved about their experience and interactions with cardiac staff. People are so amazed to understand better about their heart because of this visual tool. The AmeriHeart provides a new way to gain trust and respect with our consumers, so when they need heart care, Bellin Health is the organization they think of first.

Bellin Tops for Heart Attack Survival

Kelly Galler — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 18:16:57 +0000

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We want to share our story with you!

A current marketing campaign is aimed at informing the public that Bellin Health is one of the best hospitals in the nation to receive care if you’re having a heart attack, as evidenced by a recent study.

Last August, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released cardiac care data that covered a three-year period from mid-2007 to mid-2010. Bellin was the top in the state of Wisconsin for acute myocardial infarction survival rates and ranked third in the nation, trailing only Waterbury Hospital in Connecticut and NYU Hospital Center in New York.

According to the CMS study, Bellin rated 10.6 deaths per 100 for heart attack patients. By comparison, Bay Area Medical Center in Marinette rated 13.9 deaths per 100 and other Green Bay Hospitals rated 15.8 or 15.9 deaths per 100. The national average was 15.9 deaths per 100.

“The CMS data strongly backs our long-standing position of being the No. 1 choice for heart care in the region. We are seizing the opportunity and letting the public know about it,” said Tom Arndt, chief marketing officer at Bellin Health. “Bellin is a nationally recognized cardiovascular hospital. Our patients, their families and friends deserve to know this, especially if faced with an unexpected decision regarding selection of a heart care hospital that could mean the difference between the life or death of a loved one.”

A series of billboards, systemwide posters and a new radio ad campaign will soon launch in support of Bellin’s efforts to inform the public of the health system’s position as the best heart care hospital in the state and one of the top three nationwide for cardiac care.

In addition to the data in the CMS study, Bellin excels in a number of areas that enable it to maintain its level of excellence in heart care. The health system:

Opened a state-of-the-art integrated cardiovascular suite that combines some of the features of a catheter lab with those of a surgical theater
Added a team of cardiologists formerly with Cardiology Associates of Green Bay. The group is now named Cardiology Associates of Bellin Health.
Consistently averages door-to-balloon times (the window of opportunity it takes to unblock an artery) of 51 minutes while the national average hovers at 90 minutes
Offers free or low-cost heart and vascular screenings as part of its continued heart health promotion and disease prevention efforts
Works with patients to encourage them to adopt healthier lifestyles consisting of improved nutrition, exercise and maintaining their medication regimen after release from the hospital
Maintains a strong relationship with area ambulance crews to make sure the process of providing emergency care uses the best possible protocols
Is upgrading its electronic medical records system to enhance the information flow between providers and health care partners involved in a particular patient’s care

“Our outstanding team of cardiologists, physicians, ED staff, Eagle III staff, cardiac cath lab staff and all other Bellin employees who assist in caring for these individuals, continues to provide the top-quality heart care expertise recognized by national agencies like the CMS,” said Kelly Galler, Heart & Vascular clinical coordinator at Bellin. “The team’s efforts have contributed significantly to our position as a top-quality facility for heart care. While we are proud of our designation as one of the top three health systems in the nation for heart attack survival rates, we continue to seek ways to improve our care outcomes and the overall patient experience.”

Rachel Manek's heart scan

Kelly Galler — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 15:03:48 +0000

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On Good Day Wisconsin, Fox 11, this morning, Rachel Manek spoke with Dr. Donnoven Blake from Cardiology Associates of Bellin Health. Rachel qualified for a heart calcium scan, to evaluate if she had the start of heart disease. Watch this clip!

Rachel's Heart Scan: fox11online.com

Rachel's heart calcium score was zero, just what it should be. There should not be any calcium in your heart.

We did want to show you some abnormal scans though so look closely at the scans at the end of the video. The first scan shows bright white areas in the arteries of the heart, demonstrating calcium build up. This scan was done with CT angiogram, so this was a little more than a normal calcium score, but it clearly shows the abnormal spots. The next scan shows arrows pointing to the calcium found in this person's coronary arteries and in the aorta (the largest blood vessel in your body that comes off the heart). Other abnormalities that are commonly found with this scan include an enlarged aorta (aneurysm of the aorta, which can be a life threatening condition) and also lung nodules. The last two scans show those abnormalities.

Worried about your risk for heart disease?

http://www.bellinheart.org/calcium/ Go to this link to read more about the heart calcium score test and see if you qualify to have one done.

Wine Tasting Fundraiser

Kelly Galler — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 19:16:56 +0000

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Join us and support awareness of heart and vascular disease

Directions to Trout Springs Winery

8150 River Road

Greenleaf, Wi

920-864-7761

From the West & North: From Hwy 172 east to Cty GV. At Cty GV, go south 1-2 miles. Take a left/east at Cty G, and go through Lark and past WayMor Park. After passing the park take a left on Wayside Rd., and 1-2 miles down, take a right on River Rd. We are the 2nd place on the right hand side.