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Friday, 30 July 2010 |
Monadnock Harley Owners’ Group Donates Gas Cards to Cancer Patients
 L to R: Thomas Simpson, owner Monadnock Harley-Davidson, with Jennifer Michelson, Director, D-H NCCC at Kingsbury Pavilion as she accepts a $3221 donation from Pete Morin, Club Director, Monadnock Harley Owner’s Group (HOG).
Patients travel from across the tristate area to the Kingsbury Pavilion for care. Cancer treatment requires regular visits. Radiation treatments are daily—chemotherapy weekly—for a number of weeks.
“When someone is traveling 45 minutes one way to get here from Peterborough or Bellows Falls, the mileage adds up fast,” according to Jennifer Michelson, RN, BSN, Director, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Norris Cotton Cancer Center at the Kingsbury Pavilion. “If you have a limited income, the cost of gas becomes an obstacle to treatment. Local bikers, however, helps us overcome that obstacle by giving us the ability to donate gas cards to patients in need.”
Close to two hundred motorcycles navigated 78 miles of back roads throughout the region, ending with a barbeque lunch at the American Legion on Court Street.
“We are very happy to help out,” Pete Morin, club director, Monadnock HOG, said. “We have all been touched by cancer in some way. It’s an honor to know we have can make it possible for someone to receive life-saving care.”
The Kingsbury Pavilion is certified by the American College of Surgeon (ACOC), Commission on Cancer as an approved cancer program. This designation ensures that patients receive comprehensive care with state-of-the-art cancer treatment modalities. The Commission on Cancer requires that a cancer program has a multi-specialty team approach, analyzes practice methods for quality of care, and provides information related to current clinical trials. The Kingsbury Pavilion is among only 25% of hospitals in the country have ACOS accredited cancer programs. |
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Tuesday, 27 July 2010 |
For Immediate Release
July 15, 2010
Contact: Communications Director
Office of the Governor
603-271-2121
Governor Lynch, NH Health Care Providers Announce Innovative Health Care Pilot Program Aimed at Improving Quality, Lowering Costs
New Accountable Care Organization Pilot Program Part of Governor's Continuing Efforts to Help Keep Health Care Affordable to be Piloted in Keene
CONCORD - Governor John Lynch today joined members of the Citizens Health Initiative, health care providers and insurance industry officials in announcing a new pilot project aimed at encouraging health care providers to collaborate and focus more on prevention and disease management, which will result in healthier patients and reduced growth in health care costs.
Health care providers and New Hampshire's major insurance companies from five locations across New Hampshire have agreed to participate in this new innovative pilot program. This pilot will move New Hampshire away from the fee-for-service model and instead give health care providers incentives to spend more time with their patients, to work with their patients to prevent new illnesses and better manage existing illnesses, and to collaborate better with other health care providers.
Under this new model, providers and health care systems profit from providing good, cost-effective care to patients rather than from seeing as many patients as possible.
"Right now, we're not spending our health care dollars the right way and through this pilot project we are going to work together in New Hampshire to change that. Our current health care system rewards providers for seeing as many patients as possible. We're going to change that. Under this pilot project, we are moving to a system where health care providers will profit from spending time with their patients and keeping them healthy - and that's the way it should be," Governor Lynch said.
"Two years ago, I challenged health care and insurance industry leaders to work with us to develop a New Hampshire solution for improving quality and reducing the growth in health care costs," Governor Lynch said. "Everyone at the table recognized that our current health care system was not working for business, for providers or patients. That's why we are taking action to change our health care system now, the New Hampshire way, by working together."
The Citizens Health Initiative, along with a group of industry and business leaders, worked to develop the Accountable Care Organization Pilot Program.
Five providers have agreed to voluntarily participate in this innovative pilot program:
- A north country initiative that includes Ammonoosuc Community Health Services, Cottage Hospital, Littleton Regional Hospital, North Country Home Health and Hospice;
- Central New Hampshire Health Partnership, which includes Mid-State Health Center, Speare Memorial Hospital, Genesis Behavioral Health, Newfound Area Nursing Association and Pemi-Baker Home Health and Hospice;
- Cheshire Medical Center Dartmouth-Hitchcock Keene;
- Exeter Health Resources;
- Southern New Hampshire Health System in Nashua.
"We are pleased to participate in this forward-thinking collaboration which focuses on quality, access and cost effective healthcare delivery. The types of initiatives being undertaken align nicely with Vision 2020, our healthiest community vision in which area health organizations, businesses, schools, city government, individuals and others are joining together to create the healthiest community in the nation," said John Schlegelmilch, MD who shares the Office of the President and serves as Medical Director at Cheshire Medical Center/Dartmouth-Hitchcock Keene. "I applaud the leadership in the systems that have stepped forward to constructively address the unsustainable increases in health care costs. By leading the change towards accountability in health care delivery, they have firmly established themselves as part of the solution." |
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Monday, 19 July 2010 |
Join us on August 3 at 6:30 PM in the North Conference Rooms at Cheshire Medical Center/Dartmouth-Hitchcock Keene to learn more about Adjustable Gastric Banding.
NEW! Patient Story: Read Edmund's story and view his video to hear about his experience with Adjustable Gastric Banding.
Adjustable gastric banding is a minimally invasive surgical procedure performed using laparoscopic surgery. It is considered to be very safe and effective. Bariatric surgery is an effective treatment for diabetes, hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea, gastric esophageal reflux disorder (GERD), high cholesterol or other blood fats, osteoarthritis, asthma and urinary incontinence, all considered secondary to obesity.
The program requirements are:
- Patients be 18-65 years of age
- Have no history of blood clots
- Have a body mass index (BMI) of 40-55 for females and 40-50 for males without existing diseases caused by obesity or a BMI of greater than 35 with diseases caused by obesity and a weight of less than 425 pounds
- A history of multiple weight loss attempts
- The ability to understand informed consent and taking a personal role in successful weight loss
Information sessions regarding this new procedure are held every other month in the North Conference Rooms at Cheshire Medical Center/Dartmouth-Hitchcock Keene. Additional dates for 2010 are: October 5, and December 7.
Attendance at an information session is mandatory for entrance into the bariatric surgery program.
For further information, please call 603-354-6504.
Click here for more information about Adjustable Gastric Banding and learn more about our Gastroenterology department and our General Surgery department. |
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Thursday, 10 June 2010 |
The New England Society for Healthcare Communications Awards - Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient to Thomas Link of New Hampshire
 The New England Society for Healthcare Communications (NESHCo) is pleased to announce that Thomas Link of Cheshire Medical Center/Dartmouth Hitchcock Keene, a 30-year veteran of healthcare marketing and communications, was awarded the prestigious Evans Houghton Memorial Award at the association’s annual conference held May 25 in Stowe, Vt.
The Evans Houghton Award was established by NESHCo’s Board of Directors to honor the memory of Evans F. Houghton, one of the Society’s founders who died an untimely death in 1974. The award honors an individual for exemplary performance and significant contributions in the field of health care public relations; selfless dedication to other practitioners without any thought of personal gain and boldly challenging themselves and their peers to excel, with the highest standards of conduct and professionalism.
"What puts Tom Link above many in the profession is his ability to accomplish public relations and marketing efforts that bring about significant cultural change in the community, region and state, to improve the quality and health of individuals, families and children,” said Jim Rattray, Vice President of Marketing & Public Affairs at Southcoast Health System in New Bedford, Mass., NESHCo board member, 2003 Evans Houghton winner and chair of this year’s committee. "He is a cutting-edge practitioner who was one of the first to have a full website for his hospital and who's work results in changing people’s perceptions of healthcare or embracing their own pursuit of a healthy lifestyle.”
Link's experience in healthcare runs includes his position as hospital administrator, to community leader and activist, to board member in a variety of professional associations and finally to leading medical mission trips to Haiti, where he utilizes his clinical experience as a physician’s assistant.
For more than 30 years, Link has invoked his vision to make communities healthier. His present position at Cheshire Medical Center/Dartmouth-Hitchcock Keene has combined his fundraising and healthcare knowledge to address the needs of the people who live in and around Keene and his passion to make Keene, N.H., the healthiest community in America in by the year 2020 has been impressive. His role at Cheshire Medical Center/Dartmouth-Hitchcock Keene has proven a model for other Dartmouth-Hitchcock initiatives and allowed Link to be visible and active with the New Hampshire Hospital Association’s Communications and Marketing group.
Link has had a large impact as a community volunteer, particularly in the area of childcare. He is considered a the “founding father” of Child First, a childcare advocacy organization in New Hampshire’s Mondadnock Region. and continues his efforts there today. He is a Past President of the Keene Family YMCA and served on that board for 10 years. He currently chairs and and has been an active Board Member of the Keene Partner City Committee since 1998. He is presently is Chair of on the Keene Mayor’s Municipal Broadband Committee and Chair of the Council for a Healthier Community. He is a past Chair of Keene’s Community Health Education Cooperative and is a former Co-Chair of the Mayor’s Task Force on Childcare. His work with Child First Early Learning New Hampshire earned Link the prestigious “Dorothy Cleveland Award,” which recognizes exemplary practices in high-quality childcare. He also served on the board of Early Learning NH for eight years and was the recipient of the Early Learning Champion Award in 2007.
About NESHCo
For four decades, NESHCo has served as the region’s premier professional development organization for communication professionals working in the health care industry. The Society is composed of nearly 300 members throughout New England. |
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Tuesday, 08 June 2010 |
"Let No Woman Be Overlooked"
Breast and Cervical Cancer Program
Free screening for women ages 18-65 of low income with inadequate health insurance or a high deductible. Medicaid and Medicare covered women are not eligible. Pap smear and breast examination are performed by female health professionals. Reduced rate mammograms available to qualified women.
For an appointment, please call 603-354-6679.
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Tuesday, 08 June 2010 |
 Cheshire Medical Center/Dartmouth Hitchcock Keene Pediatric Providers and The Sports Medicine Center will be offering High School Sports Physicals during the month of July on the dates below. Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine patients are eligible to receive these physicals. Please wear comfortable clothes, such as shorts and tee-shirts.
For more information and to make an appointment, please call our appointment desk at 354-6666.
- July 15
- July 16
- July 22
- July 23
- July 28
- July 29
This is not a school sponsored activity.
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Monday, 07 June 2010 |
Orlando, Florida- VHA, Inc, a national healthcare network, has given Cheshire Medical Center/Dartmouth-Hitchcock Keene a 2010 VHA Leadership Award for Clinical Excellence, honoring the hospital for meeting or exceeding national performance standards for clinical care.
Cheshire Medical Center/Dartmouth-Hitchcock Keene recently received the award at the Annual VHA Leadership Conference held in Orlando, Florida. CMC/DHK was one of only eight United States hospitals to receive this recognition and only one in five to receive the award in all four categories.
The VHA Leadership Award for Clinical Excellence recognizes hospitals for improving clinical quality, patient safety or the patient experience. The 2010 winners met defined standards for patient care throughout multiple quarters for their superior system performance, with composite scores in the top quartile across four clinical areas: acute myocardial infarction (heart attack), heart failure, pneumonia and surgical infection prevention. The VHA Leadership Award is the highest level of recognition bestowed by VHA for clinical care.
President and Chief Administrative Officer Arthur Nichols said of the national recognition, “We are extremely proud of our quality and safety record. To know we were only one of a small number of hospitals in the nation to receive this award reaffirms our resolve to provide high quality care and to let our care and caring serve as the basis for making ours the healthiest community in the nation by the year 2020.” President and Chief Medical Officer, John Schlegelmilch, MD adds, “ The VHA Leadership Award, coming on the heels of being recognized as the NH Healthcare Business of the Decade, allows us to truly believe we have the people and the know-how necessary to lead in the areas of clinical quality, patient safety and service excellence. We feel this leadership will be invaluable to us, and to our community, as we enter the new age of healthcare reform and culture change.”
VHA Inc., based in Irving Texas, is a national network of not-for-profit health care organizations that work together to drive maximum savings in the supply chain arena, set new levels of clinical performance and identify and implement best practices to improve operational efficiency and clinical outcomes. Formed in1977, through its 16 regional offices, VHA serves more than 1,400 hospitals and more than 28,000 non-acute care providers nationwide.
L to R: Colleen Risk, Executive VP Clinical Improvement Services, VHA, Inc.; Paula Hudon, Director of Education, Training & Development, CMC/DHK; Rachael Ellsworth, Director of CM/QI, CMC/DHK; Curt Nonomaque, President & CEO of VHA, Inc.; Pamela Brown, Quality Improvement Coordinator, CMC/DHK; and Dr. Trent Haywood, Chief Medical Officer & Sr. VP, VHA, Inc. |
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