FirstHealth Magazine - Winter 2013 - 2014

the magazine from FirstHealth of the Carolinas

Winter 2013/2014

Treatment by

TAVRwww.firsthealth.org

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Q u a l i t y C a n c e r C a r e , C l o s e T o H o m e

Our cancer treatment services and support system deliver true multidisciplinary

care with the best doctors, nurses and specialists. This type of integrated care helps

guide patients comfortably and confidently from diagnosis through treatment,

recovery and survivorship.

For more information on the services provided by FirstHealth Cancer Services

call (800) 213-3284 or visit us on the Web at www.nccancercare.org.

F I R S T H E A L T H C A N C E R S E R V I C E S

WE’RENEAR TOYOU. WE’REHERE FORYOU.

The FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital cancer program is accredited with commendation by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer

MirrorCancerSvsFHmagAd_7 11/13/13 10:09 AM Page 1


www.nccancercare.org

In the opening lines of “A Tale of Two Cities,” novelist Charles Dickens reminds the reader of

“the best of times” and “the worst of times.”

Although Dickens was referring to the French Revolution of the late 18th century, those of us

involved with the delivery of early 21st century health care might see a comparison in the current

unpredictable mood of our industry.

A continually wobbly economy, the uncertainties of the Affordable Care Act and Medicare and

Medicaid reimbursement, and the demands (and expense) of emerging technology can make our

world seem like a pretty shaky place. I, however, remain optimistic about the future of health care in

the long term.

I am especially optimistic about the future of FirstHealth of the Carolinas.

In the pages of this magazine, you will read about some of the reasons for my optimism. You will

see how FirstHealth continues to flourish with the availability of new procedures like the lifesaving

(and unique for this region) transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and with bronchial

thermoplasty for asthma sufferers, with the opening of our fourth hospital (Moore Regional-Hoke

Campus) in Raeford, and with the introduction of such services as gynecologic oncology (also

unique to the area).

In the New Providers section, you will note the addition of more than 30 physicians and physician

extenders (physician assistants or nurse practitioners) to FirstHealth’s active medical staff. Many of

these superbly trained professionals are directly employed by FirstHealth through their association

with the FirstHealth Physician Group while others are affiliated with some of the fine independent

specialty practices with which we have enjoyed collaborative relationships for many years.

You will be reminded of FirstHealth’s leadership in health care innovation with a story about the

15-year history of our Dental Care program for uninsured and underinsured children. And you

will learn about our continuing commitment to innovative care with the opening of a Transition

Care Clinic that responds to the special needs of patients with chronic disease while preventing

unnecessary hospital readmissions and emergency department visits.

Those of you who have lived in this region for a while may remember Moore Memorial

Hospital or maybe even its predecessor, the original Moore County Hospital. Black-and-white

photographs of both now rest behind the protective glass of a display case in the Moore

Regional Hospital Conference Center. Obviously, we are now light years ahead of those

institutions in terms of specialization and technology, but we retain a very similar attitude

toward the way we “care for people.”

We refer to it as “big-city medicine in a small-town atmosphere.” It’s what gives FirstHealth an

edge over its competition, and it’s why I anticipate the “best of times” for FirstHealth.

Predicting the “best of times” for FirstHealth

CEO Message

David J. Kilarski

Chief Executive OfficerFirstHealth of the Carolinas

1www.firsthealth.org


155 Memorial DriveP.O. Box 3000

Pinehurst, NC 28374

Editor, FirstHealth of the Carolinas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brenda BouserManaging Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jason SchneiderCreative Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jan McLeanProduction Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Traci Marsh

f i rsthealth.org

Contributing WriterBrenda Bouser

Contributing PhotographerDon McKenzie

Board of DirectorsFirstHealth of the Carolinas

Robert Bahner Jr., M.D.Mr. Sherwood BlackwoodMr. Alex BownessMr. James H. BulthuisDavid M. Cowherd, M.D.John N. Ellis, M.D.Mrs. Carolyn D. HelmsDavid E. Hipp, M.D.Mrs. Anna G. Hollers

Mr. David J. KilarskiMs. Tracy LeinbachMr. Donald E. Padgett IIMr. Joel ShribergBruce S. Solomon, D.O.William L. Stewart, M.D.Mr. Robert E. TweedRaymond G. Washington, M.D.Mr. David B. Woronoff

Corporate Officers

President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . William G. MooreSenior Staff Accountant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sharon Tesh

The not-for-profit FirstHealth of the Carolinas is headquartered in Pinehurst, N.C., and is composed of Moore Regional Hospital, Montgomery Memorial Hospital, Richmond Memorial Hospital (a division of Moore Regional Hospital), the Foundation of FirstHealth, FirstCarolinaCare Insurance Company, and Regional Health Services. Comments on FirstHealth of the Carolinas magazine or changes of address should be directed to [email protected] or to (910) 715-4278.

FirstHealth of the Carolinas is published by Krames StayWell407 Norwalk St.

Greensboro, NC 27407(336) 547-8970

© Copyright 2013 by Krames StayWell, an operating company of StayWell/MediMedia USA, and FirstHealth of the Carolinas, Inc. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission from Krames StayWell. Articles in this publication are written by professional journalists who strive to present reliable, up-to-date health information. However, personal decisions regarding health, finance, exercise and other matters should be made only after consultation with the reader’s physician or professional adviser. All editorial rights reserved. Opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of Krames StayWell or FirstHealth of the Carolinas.

Models are used for illustrative purposes only.

On the cover: Interventional cardiologist Steven J. Filby, M.D., and cardiothoracic surgeon Peter I. Ellman, M.D., headed the team that performed the first-ever transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) procedure in the Sandhills region. For more information on this lifesaving procedure for patients with severe aortic stenosis, please turn to page 3.

Chief Executive Officer, FirstHealth of the Carolinas President, FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital . . . . . . . Mr. David J. Kilarski

Chief Financial Officer, FirstHealth of the Carolinas. . . . . Mrs. Lynn S. DeJaco

Chief Information Officer, FirstHealth of the Carolinas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mr. David B. Dillehunt

Chief Medical Officer FirstHealth of the Carolinas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . John F. Krahnert Jr., M.D.

Chief Operating Officer, FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mr. Brian T. Canfield

Chief Nursing Officer, FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mrs. Karen Robeano, DNP, R.N.

President, FirstHealth Physician Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Daniel R. Barnes, D.O.

President, FirstHealth Richmond Memorial Hospital . . . Mr. John J. Jackson

President, FirstCarolinaCare Insurance Company . . . . . . Mr. Kenneth J. Lewis

President, Foundation of FirstHealth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mrs. Kathleen Stockham

President, FirstHealth Montgomery Memorial Hospital . . . . Mrs. Beth Walker

Vice President, Human Resources, FirstHealth of the Carolinas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mr. Daniel F. Biediger

Vice President, Finance & Support Services, FirstHealth of the Carolinas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mr. Jeffrey A. Casey

Vice President, Quality,FirstHealth of the Carolinas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mrs. Cindy McNeill-McDonald

Administrator, FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital-Hoke Campus . . Mrs. Susan K. Beaty

Mr. Julian W. King, ChairMr. Hew Fulton, Vice Chair

Departments

1 CEO’s message

22 Calendar

23 New Providers

27 Letters

Features

3 TAVR

Sandhills’ first such lifesaving procedure

performed by FHC Valve Clinic team

6 CrossFit—fitness by design

8 A first for the region

Gynecologic oncologist joins FirstHealth

10 FirstHealth volunteers …

they’re everywhere

12 Managing chronic disease

13 Procedure offers relief

to asthma sufferers

14 Hoke County’s FIRST hospital

16 FirstHealth Dental Care

Observing 15 years of service to children

18 Treating back & neck pain

19 FirstHealth messages on the go

20 Physical Therapy by ART

21 EDs tackle medication abuse crisis

2 Winter 2013/2014

Once you’ve heard the name, transcatheter aortic valve replacement, you know immediately why the new procedure being offered through

the Valve Clinic at FirstHealth’s Reid Heart Center is more familiarly known by its acronym (TAVR).

But the impressive medical terminology represents even more impressive medical technology that now offers hope for Sandhills area heart patients who previously had no hope.

Patients who are TAVR candidates are too high-risk for open-heart surgery or traditional aortic valve replacement. For all practical purposes, they are dying, according to Steven J. Filby, M.D., and Peter I. Ellman, M.D., who headed the team that performed the Sandhills area’s first-ever TAVR procedure on Oct. 8, 2013.

“Once patients start to show symptoms of aortic stenosis, their life expectancy is typically on the order of two to three years,” says Dr. Filby, an interventional cardiologist. As an interventional fellow at the Cleveland Clinic, Dr. Filby was part of the PARTNER Trial, a seminal 2010 study that demonstrated TAVR’s benefits for U.S. patients.

TAVRFIRST PATIENT IS

“100 PERCENT BETTER”Just a few of months ago, Civil Service retiree and World War II

veteran Samuel Richardson was given his best—and only—chance to survive severe aortic stenosis.

After the 88-year-old Richardson learned that he was not a candidate for open-heart surgery or traditional aortic valve replacement, he was told about a new procedure at FirstHealth’s Reid Heart Center called TAVR (transcatheter aortic valve replacement).

On Oct. 8, 2013, he became the first Reid Heart Center patient (and the first patient in the Sandhills region) to undergo a TAVR procedure. Today, he is “100 percent better” and eager for the time when he can return to the hunting, fishing, and home and farm odd jobs that he enjoyed before valve disease began to chip away at his quality of life.

“He decided to have the surgery, and it’s been wonderful,” says his daughter, Dianne Edwards.

Interventional cardiologist Steven J. Filby, M.D., calls Richardson a “textbook case” for the TAVR experience because of the severity of his condition and because of his impressive recovery. Dr. Filby describes aortic stenosis as a “very lethal condition” with a medical outlook equal to that of many cancers.

Despite those factors, Richardson awakened from the three-hour procedure already feeling much better and, he says, hopeful that he can eventually be “back to about normal, for the age I am.”

According to Richardson’s daughter, his Reid Heart Center nurses had him up quickly and he was home within three days.

“He was dying,” Edwards says. “This was his last option, but we went for it, and we are tickled to death.”

Minimally invasive aortic valve replacementAlthough TAVR is reserved for high-risk and inoperable patients,

the FirstHealth Valve Clinic also has a new surgical option for healthier patients: minimally invasive aortic valve replacement or mini-AVR.

“It’s a fine-tuning of the standard sternotomy for aortic valve replacement,” says cardiothoracic surgeon Peter I. Ellman, M.D. “You have a smaller incision, and you don't have to divide the entire breastbone, only part of it.”

The result is not only a cosmetic but also a recuperative improvement over traditional open-heart surgery.

“Because a significant amount of the patient's chest cage stays intact, he or she gets back to activities sooner,” Dr. Ellman says. “There's less bleeding and usually shorter hospital stays. It's a nice approach that has a very low risk and great long-term durability.”

Sandhills‘ first such lifesaving procedure performed by FHC team

Edwards Lifesciences currently makes the only FDA-approved transcatheter heart valve device used in TAVR procedures.



For eligible patients, TAVR is the only treatment option and not just the best one.

“TAVR is one of the most important innovations we’ve seen for cardiovascular therapy in the last 10 or 20 years,” says Dr. Ellman, who is a cardiothoracic surgeon. “It offers people who are prohibitively risky or very high risk an alternative to fix their valve that is much less invasive and can give them a longer and better quality of life.”

Approved in 2011 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for high-risk and non-operable patients, TAVR can be a lifesaving procedure for patients with severe aortic stenosis, a valvular condition affecting about 3 percent of the American population over age 65. Caused by a thickening of tissue in the aortic valve that restricts arterial blood flow from the heart to the rest of the body, the condition can cause chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness and fatigue.

Left untreated, it is fatal.“Although this is a new program for FirstHealth, this

procedure is not new to Dr. Filby,” says John F. Krahnert Jr., M.D., FirstHealth’s chief medical officer. “He comes from one of the top TAVR sites in the U.S. and brings unrivaled experience to our program. This blends nicely with Dr. Ellman’s experience in minimally invasive aortic valve surgery for a great combination that gives our program a real advantage.”

The FirstHealth TAVR team (composed of two interventional cardiologists, an imaging cardiologist, two cardiothoracic surgeons, a radiologist and an anesthesiologist) was trained by Edwards Lifesciences, which currently makes the only FDA-approved transcatheter heart valve device.

THE TAVR TEAM: (front from left) Melissa Lung, CST; Stacey McInally, R.N.; cardiothoracic surgeon Art Edgerton, M.D.; Cindy Casella, R.N.; and Kim Person, echo tech; (back from left) Jennifer Haywood, S.T.; Leona Riddle, R.N.; radiologist Samuel Wahl, M.D.; Roxanne Hammerle, RCIS; interventional cardiologist Steven J. Filby, M.D.; Valve Clinic coordinator Dona Baker, R.N.; cardiothoracic surgeon Peter I. Ellman, M.D.; interventional cardiologist Peter L. Duffy, M.D.; Eric Stanley, RCIS; Doug Arno, CRNA; imaging cardiologist Steven Kent, M.D.; Monika Kepa, R.N.; anesthesiologist David L. Chandler, D.O.; and Amanda Fleming, R.N.

4 Winter 2013/2014

FirstHealth Valve ClinicThe FirstHealth Valve Clinic, located in Reid Heart Center at FirstHealth

Moore Regional Hospital in Pinehurst, combines the expertise of interventional cardiologists and surgeons to give referring physicians and their patients focused, prompt assessments and treatment options.

The collaborative clinic offers patients with complex valvular disorders high-quality multidisciplinary care in a one-stop arrangement of cardiovascular specialists.

Most patients will spend only one afternoon consulting with Valve Clinic physicians, and referring physicians receive a thorough report outlining the team's findings and treatment recommendations.

The goal is to deliver a focused and well-organized patient experience that provides a comprehensive evaluation and clear communication about the severity of valve disease and all of the appropriate treatment options.

FOR MORE INFORMATIONFor more information about the FirstHealth Valve Clinic and TAVR or other procedures, call (800) 213-3284 or visit www.firsthealth.org/valve.



CrossFit is a program that delivers fitness that is—by design—broad, general and inclusive. There is no specializing in the CrossFit specialty, so workouts

are different every day. The needs of health-conscious seniors as well as serious Ironman competitors differ just by degree, not kind.

People of all shapes, sizes and fitness levels join the CrossFit program that is offered at the FirstHealth Center for Health & Fitness-Pinehurst. Certified trainers know how to make the appropriate modifications so the participant can safely succeed in the program. All have at least a bachelor’s degree in exercise medicine and have both personal training and CrossFit Level 1 certifications.

New CrossFit participants start out with an Intro to CrossFit four-pack class, where trainers teach step-by-step techniques on CrossFit foundation movements and then incorporate them into a workout for beginners. They can then move on to a four-pack Small Group Training Class that can be designed to fit any schedule.

FOR MORE INFORMATIONon the FirstHealth CrossFit program and how to participate in it, call (910) 715-1800 or visit www.firsthealth.org/crossfit.

CrossFit fitness by design

6 Winter 2013/2014

In 1895, before it became

known for world-class golf,

the Village of Pinehurst was

developed as a health resort.

That legacy continues

and today, thousands

of golfers also

know Pinehurst

for world-class orthopaedic

and joint replacement surgery.

For more information,

or to schedule a consultation

for world-class care, call

(800) 213-3284 or visit

www.firsthealth.org/ortho

World-ClassO R T H O P A E D I C S

In 1895, before it became

known for world-class golf,

the Village of Pinehurst was

developed as a health resort.

That legacy continues

and today, thousands

of golfers also

know Pinehurst

for world-class orthopaedic

and joint replacement surgery.


or to schedule a consultation

for world-class care, call

(800) 213-3284 or visit


World-ClassO R T H O P A E D I C S

Roy JacksonJoint Replacement Patient

Southern Pines, NC

1144-70-13


Michael J. Sundborg, M.D., wants every one of his patients—each diagnosed with a form of

gynecological cancer—to feel like she is in control of her treatment.

“The patient is the captain of her team,” he says.

The latest addition to the FirstHealth of the Carolinas cancer care team, Dr. Sundborg is the area’s first gynecologic oncologist. For the scope of the care he provides, patients previously traveled to Chapel Hill, Durham, Wilmington or Charlotte. They now get university-quality care in a private practice setting.

“The ability to offer the full spectrum of women’s cancer care in the region, that’s a big plus for women who have cancer,” Dr. Sundborg says.

Except for radiation oncology, Dr. Sundborg’s services cover the full scope of gynecological cancer care—diagnosis, surgery, medical oncology, surveillance and supportive care. He has also performed some of the area’s first-ever robotics procedures for gynecologic cancer.

Before retiring from the military in June, Dr. Sundborg spent 33 years in the U.S. Army, completing his service as a colonel in the Army Medical Corps, serving as chief of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, chief of the Division of Gynecologic Oncology and director of medical education at Fort Bragg’s Womack Army Medical Center.

The son of a soldier, he was born in Fort Campbell, Ky., and enlisted in the military at Fort Bragg. He earned his undergraduate degree in biology from Fayetteville’s Methodist College and his medical degree from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Md. He interned at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C.

Dr. Sundborg completed his residency in obstetrics and gynecology with the National Capital Area Consortium in Obstetrics and Gynecology, where he was also fellowship-trained in gynecologic oncology.

Michael J. Sundborg, M.D., speaks to patient Carolyn LeMunyon as she has a treatment at the FirstHealth Outpatient Cancer Center.

A first for the regionGynecologic oncologist joins FirstHealth

Michael J. Sundborg, M.D., sees patients at convenient locations in Southern Pines, Pinehurst and Fayetteville. For information on how to make an appointment with him or with one of the other providers at Southern Pines Women’s Health Center, please call (800) 213-3284.

8 Winter 2013/2014

The Southern Pines Women's Health Center, a FirstHealth clinic, is located at 145 Applecross Road in Southern Pines.

S outhern Pines Women’s Health Center (SPWHC), the area’s most comprehensive provider of women’s health care services, has joined FirstHealth of the Carolinas for

a partnership that broadens the scope of quality obstetrical and gynecological services throughout the region.

Seven physicians and a family nurse practitioner—all board certified—comprise the medical staff of Southern Pines Women’s Health Center, a FirstHealth clinic.

Services cover the full range of women’s health care and include the management of routine and high-risk pregnancies; the evaluation and treatment of infertility; and the examination, diagnosis and treatment of gynecological conditions and diseases.

Founded by Barry K. Buchele, M.D., SPWHC has served women in the Sandhills region since 1981.

Southern Pines Women’s Health Center now a FirstHealth clinic

Pamela G. Kantorowski, M.D.

Sarah D. Bowen-Pasfield, M.D.

Michael J. Sundborg, M.D.

Barry K. Buchele, M.D.

Melissa J. Mang, FNP

John W. Byron, M.D.

Kendall R. Zmiewsky, M.D.

Walter S. Fasolak, D.O.

Meet the SPWHC Providers



FirstHealth volunteers … they’re everywhere

When FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital-Hoke Campus opened its doors in October, guest ambassadors Louella Street and Steve Mohr had been trained and were prepared to greet patients and families and escort them to their destination in the new hospital. In addition to their greeter/escort duties, Street and Mohr also provide staff support and run errands as needed.

How to volunteer

T he FirstHealth hospitals, FirstHealth Hospice & Palliative Care and the Clara McLean House have specific employees who are responsible for coordinating their volunteer services.

At Moore Regional, Cindy Strother, administrative director of Guest Services, is in charge of the department and volunteer manager Jean Clark and office coordinator Jessica Simpson support daily operations. This office is also responsible for the volunteer needs of Moore Regional Hospital-Hoke Campus.

Human Resources coordinator Tina Thompson is in charge of the volunteer program at Montgomery Memorial, and Volunteer Services manager Mandy Phifer Shepherd provides volunteer leadership and program coordination at Richmond Memorial. Susanne Martínez is the Volunteer Services manager for Hospice & Palliative Care, and Laura Kuzma manages volunteers for the Clara McLean House and The Foundation of FirstHealth.

The volunteer application process is thorough but painless.

F irstHealth volunteers drive shuttles, help with mailings, serve as welcoming “ambassadors” to hospital campuses, and act as liaisons between an operating room staff and the anxiously awaiting families of patients.

They take pictures of newborns, deliver flowers, conduct tours, accompany patients to medical procedures, operate gift shop cash registers and much, much more.

By supporting patient and visitor services, volunteers supplement the activities of the paid FirstHealth staff by performing duties that don’t require professional training.

More than 1,000 of these caring individuals assist FirstHealth employees in more ways than are easily counted—many times providing the skills and professionalism acquired during their own careers while saving the organization hundreds of thousands of dollars annually.

Because of their locations in the retirement communities of the Sandhills, FirstHealth facilities are especially blessed with the know-how and sheer numbers of their volunteers. At the same time, many service areas continue to have considerable volunteer needs and those needs are growing with the addition of new FirstHealth services such as FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital-Hoke Campus.

There are numerous opportunities to volunteer with the FirstHealth of the Carolinas hospitals in Moore, Montgomery, Richmond and Hoke counties, with FirstHealth Hospice & Palliative Care and with the Clara McLean House at FirstHealth. The accompanying facility-specific information will introduce you to some of those opportunities and tell you how you can become a volunteer.

The pink smock or white lab coat of a FirstHealth volunteer could be waiting for you.

10 Winter 2013/2014

Once the volunteer office receives an application, a meeting is arranged with the prospective volunteer for a discussion of service area preferences and volunteer options. Different service areas have their own skill set preferences and requirements, but there are no overall general prerequisites for volunteering other than a minimum age of 18. (Moore Regional, Montgomery Memorial and Richmond Memorial also have summer programs that are especially designed for teens.)

The volunteer interview is followed by a background check and orientation that includes a TB skin test followed by on-the-job training. All volunteers are required to follow FirstHealth's policy on annual flu vaccinations.

Training sessions for Oncology CARE-Net volunteers are ongoing, while sessions for Clara’s House volunteers are scheduled only once or twice a year.

Volunteer opportunities by facility

Moore Regional: Volunteer service areas include those involving patient contact (such as assistance with patient discharge), family support (waiting room liaisons), clerical needs (data entry, filing, record-purging or copying) and non-

patient contact (such as shuttle van drivers). Areas of greatest need usually involve discharge, shuttle van and clerical.

“There is a common misconception that Moore Regional has so many volunteers that we don't need more,” says Cindy Strother, administrative director of Guest Services, “but we may have as many as 40 service areas with opportunities at any given time.”

Montgomery Memorial: Areas of greatest need at Montgomery Memorial most often involve greeters for the main entrance and Outpatient Department. Volunteers are also needed to perform such clerical duties as filing and answering telephones.

Richmond Memorial: Richmond Memorial uses volunteers to answer telephones, direct patients and visitors, perform clerical duties, ensure that patients and visitors are comfortable while waiting, and serve as Emergency Department liaisons. Greatest needs are for Emergency Department volunteers, front desk volunteers and clerical volunteers.

Hospice & Palliative Care: Hospice & Palliative Care volunteers provide companionship for patients and families in the Hospice House as well as in patient homes, skilled nursing facilities and assisted living centers in Moore and Montgomery counties. There are also opportunities for administrative and staff support roles. The greatest need is always patient/family support, both in the Hospice House and for home visits.

Clara McLean House at FirstHealth (Clara’s House) and CARE-Net: Clara’s House volunteers take on such tasks as straightening the kitchen, preparing meals, assisting guests with check-in and check-out, helping with mailings and conducting house tours. CARE-Net volunteers support cancer patients with cards, calls and visits. Many are themselves cancer survivors.

MRH-Hoke Campus: Due to the tremendous interest in volunteering at this facility, there currently are no recruitment needs at the Hoke Campus.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON VOLUNTEERINGMoore Regional and MRH-Hoke Campus: (910) 715-1266

Montgomery Memorial: (910) 571-5020

Richmond Memorial: (910) 417-3432

Hospice & Palliative Care: (910) 715-6012

*Free information sessions for those interested in volunteering with FirstHealth Hospice & Palliative Care will be held from 10 to 11:30 a.m. on the following dates: Jan. 23, Feb. 22 and March 20.

Clara McLean House at FirstHealth: (910) 715-4230

Jim Zineddine volunteers in the Gift Shop at FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital.

Volunteer Kay Porter greets guests and visitors at the front desk of the Clara McLean House, FirstHealth's hospitality house.



Managing chronic disease

Patients who are referred to the FirstHealth Transition Care Clinic are seen by Daniel R. Barnes, D.O., and Cheryl Batchelor, ANP-BC, R.N.

It’s difficult to know who bears the greater burden in the matter of hospital readmissions for patients with chronic disease—the patient dealing with the stress and frustration of frequent hospitalizations or the hospital facing

unnecessary readmissions resulting in higher health care costs.According to national studies, 15 to 20 percent of the people

who are discharged from the hospital will be readmitted within 30 days and most have been diagnosed with congestive heart failure, COPD, diabetes or coumadin therapy—or a combination of problems.

Many of their readmissions could be prevented.Hospitals have found that a good way to reduce health

care costs while improving patient care involves services designed to reduce chronic disease readmissions, services like FirstHealth’s Transition Care Clinic (TCC).

The program’s director, Cheryl Batchelor, ANP-BC, R.N., describes the TCC as a “blueprint for clinics of the future” because of its multidisciplinary focus on the outpatient management of patients with chronic disease.

“Our focus is on transition care,” she says. “Our role is really what the title implies.”

Located in the FirstHealth Specialty Centers Building at 35 Memorial Drive, Pinehurst, the TCC is open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8 a.m. to noon. Patients are seen by physician referral, which can be made by a physician in the hospital (an emergency department physician or a hospitalist) or by the patient’s primary care provider.

Medicare and most insurance policies pay for TCC care, and self-pay patients are also accepted.

According to Batchelor, the clinic serves as a bridge from hospital to home to help prevent readmission after a hospital discharge or return visits to the emergency department. “Our goal is to ensure that our patients have a well-developed treatment plan and that they stay in compliance with that plan,” she says.

Another member of the TCC staff is Daniel R. Barnes, D.O., president of the FirstHealth Physician Group and a specialist in internal and hospital medicine.

“Our patients have access to a large multidisciplinary team providing services that include health education and coaching, nutrition counseling, medication review and reconciliation and, if needed, assistance with financial issues,” he says.

12 Winter 2013/2014

Michael Pritchett, D.O.

S hamika Braziel was a sports-loving teenager when she entered college with plans to play softball, but that changed when what she thought was a bad case of bronchitis turned out to be asthma.

“It sprang up out of nowhere,” Braziel says. “I never had problems when I was younger.”

Before long, the active 18-year-old was depending on a personal pharmacy of asthma medications. College softball was out of the question since even the simple activity of walking to the front door left her breathless or wheezing.

Earlier this year, Braziel found relief for her asthma in a procedure offered by Michael Pritchett, D.O., a board certified pulmonologist with FirstHealth’s Chest Center of the Carolinas and Pinehurst Medical Clinic. Bronchial thermoplasty is a therapy for patients whose asthma is so severe that they require frequent emergency room visits or even hospitalizations.

According to Dr. Pritchett, it is not a cure nor does it completely replace medications for long-term asthma control, but it can greatly improve the sufferer’s quality of life.

“It’s the first and only procedure or therapeutic intervention to treat asthma other than medication,” he says.

Bronchial thermoplasty attacks asthma at its source by reducing the smooth muscle that causes the asthma patient’s airway to constrict. In three sessions typically scheduled three weeks apart, a specially trained pulmonologist uses a small catheter to apply heat to the affected areas, “melting away” the smooth tissue build-up and decreasing the muscle’s ability to constrict the airways.

Only patients 18 years and older whose asthma is not well controlled with medication are candidates for the procedure and then only after a thorough evaluation to ensure all other available therapies have been attempted.

Dr. Pritchett is one of only a few North Carolina pulmonologists who are trained in the procedure.

Procedure offers relief to asthma sufferers

FOR MORE INFORMATION on bronchial thermoplasty, call (800) 213-3284.

LUNG CANCER SCREENINGS

As the leading cause of cancer death in both men and women in the United States, lung cancer claims more than 160,000 lives each year—most related to smoking.

Until recently, there had not been a proven method of early lung cancer detection and most cases were being diagnosed during the disease’s latter stages when it is more difficult to treat.

The FirstHealth Outpatient Imaging programs at Moore Regional, Montgomery Memorial and Richmond Memorial hospitals now offer low-dose lung CT (computed tomography) screenings for early lung cancer detection. To be eligible, the patient must be between the ages of 55 and 74 and a current or former smoker (quit within the last 15 years), with a smoking history of an average of one pack per day for 30 years, and no chest CT in the previous 18 months.

The cost is $180*, which is collected upon the patient’s arrival for the test.

*This screening is not currently covered by insurance.

To schedule a lung cancer screening at any of the FirstHealth locations, call (855) 715-2258. For more information, visit www.firsthealth.org/lungcancerscreening.



Located on Hwy. 401 just outside the Hoke County seat of Raeford, the hospital is anchored by a 24/7 emergency department. A quarter of the hospital complex houses an imaging suite offering in-house services ranging from general X-ray to low-dose CT and nuclear medicine as well as mobile MRI.

An operating room suite accommodates patients undergoing orthopaedic, ENT, general eye and other surgeries, and patients requiring inpatient care are hospitalized in an area with eight private patient rooms—each with its own private bath.

Designated lab and pharmacy departments and respiratory therapy complete the spectrum of hospital services.

FIRSTHEALTH MOORE REGIONAL HOSPITAL-HOKE CAMPUS opened its doors to patients on October 7, 2013,

as the first hospital in Hoke County. It was a historic

event for a community long acknowledged as

one of the largest and fastest-growing in the state

without a hospital of its own.

Hoke County’s

FIRST hospital

Matthew Harmody, M.D., is assistant director of the Emergency Department at FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital-Hoke Campus and president of the hospital’s medical staff. Susan Beaty, R.N., is the hospital’s administrator.

14 Winter 2013/2014

A hallway that runs the length of the building connects the hospital to a medical office building that is scheduled to open in stages through early next year. Services to be offered there include cardiology, primary care, ENT, orthopaedics, and wound care and hyperbarics. Other services will be added as community needs are identified.

To reach FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital-Hoke Campus, call (910) 878-6000. For more information, visit www.firsthealth.org/hoke.



W hen the three Nicholson sisters were growing up in Rockingham, N.C., their father told them their futures were wide open for a career in anything they chose.

They apparently listened well.One sister is now an obstetrician and gynecologist on the faculty at the UNC School of

Medicine. Another is a corporate attorney. Sharon, the eldest, earned three degrees from UNC-Chapel Hill and, as Sharon Nicholson Harrell, DDS, MPH, is now director of FirstHealth Dental Care.

Throughout the 15-year history of the Dental Care program, Dr. Harrell has been the heart of, the energy behind and the smiling face representing a service that exemplifies FirstHealth’s commitment to children. She reports to Daniel R. Barnes, D.O., president of the FirstHealth Physician Group.

“FirstHealth Dental Care has made a significant impact in our communities by providing much-needed dental care to the children who need it most,” Dr. Barnes says. “Dr. Harrell’s vision and passion have made this success possible. At the same time, I would be remiss if I didn’t recognize the entire dental clinic staff that provides exceptional service every day.”

There are three FirstHealth Dental Care locations. The first, a full-time clinic located on Perry Drive in Southern Pines, opened in October 1998. Part-time

clinics in Troy and Raeford followed in quick succession.To date, the three centers have served almost 25,000 young patients—children who

otherwise would not have had or would have had difficulty in securing quality dental care. That comes to about 1,000 patient visits a month—all of them involving children who are uninsured or recipients of Health Choice or Medicaid.

For Dr. Harrell, who has a master’s degree in public health in addition to her degree in dentistry, the work is a passion.

“I always wanted to help the underserved, to level the playing field for kids who don’t have as many opportunities,” she says.

School health nurses, area medical professionals and state dental care officials planted the original collective seed for the FirstHealth program by identifying dental

care as the number one unmet need for low-income children in the FirstHealth service area. The nurses, who deal with hundreds of school children daily,

had noted an alarming number of kids with dental problems so severe that their school work was being affected.

FirstHealth Dental Care

15 years of service to children

Sharon Nicholson Harrell, DDS, MPH, has been director of the FirstHealth Dental Care program throughout its 15-year history. The program’s clinics in Southern Pines, Troy and Raeford average a total of more than 1,000 patient visits each month.

16 Winter 2013/2014

Information from various sources, including local social services departments and the N.C. Oral Health Section indicated that nearly half of the children in Moore, Hoke and Montgomery County schools were underserved.

Access was also a problem since few dentists in the region were participating in publicly assisted programs, and those who did accepted only a few public health patients.

When made aware of the problem, FirstHealth’s leadership agreed to help.“When they saw the need, they defined it by FirstHealth’s core purpose, ‘to

care for people,’” Dr. Harrell recalls. “This was certainly a group of people that wasn’t being cared for.”

At the time, Dr. Harrell was Cumberland County’s public health dental director. Through her work with the N.C. Area Health Education Centers, she became involved with a FirstHealth task force looking into the issue of children’s dental care. After impressing the task force with her public health experience and expertise, she had a new job as director of a FirstHealth Dental Care clinic in Southern Pines.

The program in Troy opened three months later, and the Raeford clinic followed in October 1999.

Even though more area dental providers now accept Medicaid patients, there has been no letup in the work of the FirstHealth centers.

“Dental is comparable to primary care in the medical field,” says Dr. Harrell. “It’s basic care and, as in medicine, early prevention promotes healthy results later in life.”

About FirstHealth Dental Care 4 The FirstHealth Dental Care program began its work in 1998, with the October

opening of a clinic in Southern Pines.

4 The program’s mission is to provide comprehensive dental care to low-income children up to age 18.

4 There are now three centers in the program: a full-time clinic in Southern Pines and part-time clinics in Raeford and Troy.

4 In the past 15 years, the program has served almost 25,000 children.

4 The three centers average a total of more than 1,000 patient visits a month while accepting about 100 new patients each month.

4 The program employs three full-time dentists (including the dental director), 15 full-time/part-time staff members, and several weekend dentists and auxiliaries from local dental practices.

4 About 70 percent of patients seen in the first year of the program’s operation had never been seen by a dentist or had not been seen by a dentist in the previous year.

4 The centers provide more than 8,000 preventive dental sealants each year.

4 Most patients (55 percent) are between the ages of 6 and 12, 25 percent are 5 years old or younger, 13 percent are between 13 and 15 years of age, and 7 percent are ages 16 to 18.

Dental hygienist Reba Mauldin works with a patient at FirstHealth Dental Care in Southern Pines.

In 2011, the FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital

Auxiliary donated the proceeds of its annual Holiday Ball

to FirstHealth Dental Care. A couple of years earlier, Ball

proceeds went to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at

FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital.

This year, instead of organizing a Ball, members of the

Auxiliary decided to focus their time and energies on greater

philanthropic support of FirstHealth programs for children.

With their “Stay Home for the Holidays” fundraising

campaign, Auxiliary members are encouraging people who

ordinarily would have attended the Ball to spend an upcoming

evening at home with family and/or friends and make a

donation equivalent to their Ball-related expenses to the Kids

in Crisis Fund. This will ensure that 99.9 percent of the

proceeds directly benefit children in our community.

For details, please refer to the Foundation envelope insert

in this magazine or call (910) 695-7500.

To make an appointment with FirstHealth Dental Care, call (910) 692-5111 in Southern Pines, (910) 571-5700 in Troy and (910) 904-7450 in Raeford.

How to support services for children



Back or neck pain can have many causes. Because some of them are often difficult to diagnose and treat, it can take a combination of therapies to stop or reduce the pain and keep it under control.

FirstHealth Back & Neck Pain offices in Pinehurst, Sanford and Raeford give pain sufferers a reliable place to go for a thorough evaluation of their problem as well as access to a complete range of state-of-the-art pain relief options that include the newest and most advanced treatments available.

FirstHealth pain patients also have the benefit of experienced physicians who are specially trained in pain management.

“All of our doctors are board certified,” says medical director Paul Kuzma, M.D., “and we all have to undergo rigorous credentialing every two years while demonstrating continued education and expertise to be allowed to practice under the FirstHealth of the Carolinas umbrella. Perhaps most importantly, all of our doctors live in and are part of this community.”

Treating back & neck pain

Paul J. Kuzma, M.D.

Jacland F. ReVille, M.D.

Robert G. Oldroyd, M.D.

James V. Winkley, M.D.

Andrea Burns, P.A.-C

David L. Chandler, D.O.

Lawrence Burt Place, M.D.

Matthew L. Oldroyd, M.D.

Brian K. Thwaites, M.D.

Philip S. Perrotta, P.A.-C

TREATMENT OPTIONSDepending on the cause and severity of a

patient’s pain, the physicians of FirstHealth Back & Neck Pain can provide:• Prescription medications• Steroid injections• Pain medication injections to muscles, joints

and “trigger points” (small knots that develop in muscles when they are injured or overused)

• Selective nerve root blocks• Neurostimulation—mild electrical

impulses to the spinal cord that block the transmission of pain signals

• Radiofrequency interruption of nerve connections in joints between the spinal vertebrae

• Electrothermal therapy, which uses heat to destroy pain receptors in the nerves of spinal discs

BACK & NECK PAIN CENTER LOCATIONS PINEHURST35 Memorial Drive

SANFORD227 Carthage Street

RAEFORD4565 Fayetteville Road

For consultations or appointments, call (910) 715-1794 in Pinehurst or Raeford or (919) 774-0665 in Sanford. For more information, visit www.firsthealth.org/pain.

WHAT SETS FIRSTHEALTH BACK & NECK PAIN APART?• All eight physicians are board certified in

pain management.• All procedures are performed in a Joint

Commission-certified hospital outpatient department or certified surgery center.

• FirstHealth Back & Neck Pain is the only practice in the region that performs the MILD procedure for spinal stenosis and the only one using the latest Medtronic Sensor spinal cord stimulator for pain management.

18 Winter 2013/2014

FirstHealth messages on the go

The earliest known rented billboards date from shortly after the War between the States, and roadside billboards—many of them painted on the sides of barns and

other farm buildings—essentially accompanied the introduction of the Model T in the early days of the 20th century.

FirstHealth of the Carolinas has used billboards to promote its programs and services throughout a sprawling service area for several years, but introduced a new—and longer-lasting—form of billboard advertising more recently.

FirstHealth’s “vehicle wrap” advertisements first appeared on contracted commercial vehicles. Now, however, vehicles from the organization’s own motor fleet share messages about cardiac care, open MRI and orthopaedics as well as a FirstCarolinaCare insurance product. More vehicles and more messages are scheduled to follow.

Two trucks and three vans currently travel FirstHealth delivery routes in Moore, Scotland, Richmond, Chatham, Robeson, Lee, Hoke and Montgomery counties. Since they are designed on sturdy vinyl, their messages should be around for five to seven years.

The vehicle advertising program has been so successful that drivers now carry brochures or fliers with them because they have been approached by motorists or passers-by who want more information about the service noted on the wrap.



Seven weeks of pregnancy-related bed rest left Pinehurst resident Carrie Kirby weak and ill-prepared for a much-anticipated return to her previously

active lifestyle.After she tried to resume some of the

activities she had enjoyed before— running, biking, weightlifting and the like— she began noticing severe pain in her knees and lower back, sometimes when she was doing nothing more than standing.

A search for relief eventually led Kirby to Moore Rehab, a service of FirstHealth Rehabilitation, and physical therapist Rodney Tolentino, who identified overuse-related problems that are fairly typical among professional and so-called “weekend warrior” athletes.

After a few weeks of physical therapy with Tolentino, Kirby was much better. Because of his advice and guidance, she has also improved her approach to activity, which lessens the chance of re-injury.

“Now I’m probably in better shape than I had been,” she says.Tolentino’s approach to Kirby’s physical therapy included ART (Active

Release Technique). A patented soft-tissue system/movement-based therapy, ART is used to treat problems with muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia (connective tissue) and nerves. Headaches, back pain, shin splints, shoulder pain, sciatica and knee problems are some of the many conditions that respond to ART treatment.

More than 500 specific moves are unique to the ART treatment for which Tolentino was originally certified in 2009. Now certified in ART therapy for spine and lower extremities, he is the only physical therapist in this region who provides the treatment that has proven to be a popular therapy for injuries in athletes and work-related injuries. Heather MacMillan, DPT, supervisor of FirstHealth Moore Rehab, will become ART-certified in January 2014.

Himself an experienced Ironman participant, Tolentino first heard about ART therapy at an Ironman event.

“Every NFL team and all Ironman Triathlon events have an ART provider,” he says.

Physical therapy by

ARTRodney Tolentino, P.T.

Acute conditions that respond to the Active Release Technique can occur when pulls and tears, lack of oxy-gen and overused muscles cause the body to produce tough, dense scar tissue (adhesions) that binds up tissue that needs to move freely. As the scar tissue builds up, muscles become shorter and weaker, tension on tendons causes tendonitis and nerves become trapped causing reduced range of motion, loss of strength and pain—sometimes even tingling and numbness.

“We break down the adhesions for the muscles to work properly,” says Rodney Tolentino, P.T.

FirstHealth Rehabilitation-Pinehurst Moore Rehab is located at 170 Memorial Drive in Pinehurst. For more information, call (910) 715-1825 or visit www.firsthealth.org/rehab.

20 Winter 2013/2014

Hospital emergency departments are on the front lines of a national crisis involving the misuse and abuse of prescription medications. The emergency departments at the FirstHealth hospitals in Pinehurst, Troy, Rockingham and Raeford are no

exception. With the adoption of a new policy on emergency department

administration of narcotic and sedative medications, FirstHealth has taken an important step in dealing with the problem.

“This is a community effort to clean up the prescription narcotic abuse problem that is taking place,” says James O. Lewis, M.D., medical director of Moore Regional’s Emergency Department. “It’s a community health issue, and this policy is what we feel is best for our community.”

The FirstHealth policy establishes guidelines that are followed by emergency department personnel when a patient claims to be in acute pain but is found after a thorough medical evaluation not to have an emergency medical condition. Frequent seekers of pain-relief medications (those who visit an ED more than twice in 30 days or more than six times a year) are designated as having “chronic pain syndrome,” and are no longer being prescribed Drug Enforcement Agency-controlled Schedule II, III or IV drugs such as Percocet, OxyContin and Vicodin.

A search of the North Carolina Controlled Substance Reporting System (NCCSRS) that indicates a patient is a frequent user of narcotics results in the same chronic pain designation.

Designated patients are encouraged to follow up with their primary care provider (if they have one) or are given a list of area physicians or clinics that are accepting new patients (if they don’t). Some are also referred to other services, such as pain management, acupuncture or physical therapy, and all get information about FirstNavistar, FirstHealth’s online database and call center for health care and community-based resources in the Sandhills.

According to Dr. Lewis, patients suffering the “legitimate acute pain” of injury, trauma or terminal illness are not affected by the policy.

“We are here to provide compassionate pain management for those in need as well as a viable alternative for those with chronic pain or addictions,” he says.

“ It’s very important for everybody to know what is going on and to put appropriate measures in place. We all need to take action.”

Chief Deputy Jerrell SeawellMoore County Sheriff’s Office

“ Narcotics abuse is more than just an emergency department issue. It is a problem for all providers, and we all need to be part of the solution. This policy will hopefully be our first step in opening a dialogue with patients, providing better education about appropriate management of chronic pain, and reducing the amount of prescription drug abuse and misuse in our community.”

Chrystal Eller, M.D.FirstHealth Family Medicine in Troy

“ I applaud FirstHealth’s efforts in combating prescription drug abuse. I feel that cutting down on the amount of narcotics on the streets helps law enforcement as well.”

Rockingham Police Chief W.D. Kelly

“ This is a big thing. It’s turned into a bigger problem than heroin, crack, PCP and cocaine.”

Montgomery County Sheriff Dempsey Owens

FirstHealth EDs tackle medication abuse crisis

To view the policy on prescribing narcotic and sedative medications in FirstHealth emergency departments, visit www.firsthealth.org/erpolicy.



January 2014Weight-Loss Surgery Information SessionThursday, Jan. 2 or Monday, Jan. 20 6 p.m.Clara McLean HouseAn introduction for prospective patients to the FirstHealth Bariatric Center.FREE

Breastfeeding Education ClassThursday, Jan. 27 to 9 p.m.Moore Regional HospitalExpectant parents will learn the benefits of breastfeeding. Call to register.

Understanding Metabolism & Weight LossTuesday, Jan. 7 12:15 to 12:45 p.m.Health & Fitness-Pinehurst Explore the facts and myths about metabolism and how it influences your weight. FREE

Exercise is Medicine OrientationWednesday, Jan. 8 6 p.m.Health & Fitness-Pinehurst Learn how the Exercise is Medicine program works with your doctor to help you take control of your health. FREE

American Red Cross Blood Drive Thursday, Jan. 9 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Health & Fitness-Pinehurst Call for appointment.

CrossFit Conditioning for Grades 6-8Thursdays, Jan. 9-30 5:15 to 6 p.m. Health & Fitness-Pinehurst A workout designed for boys and girls grades 6-8. Registration required. Cost: $20 members/$25 community per month

Women & Children's Center TourMonday, Jan. 136 to 7 p.m.Moore Regional HospitalThis tour is recommended for parents-to-be during their second or third trimester. Call to register.FREE

Moore Regional Hospital Women’s SeriesNew Year, New BeginningsTuesday, Jan. 14 5:30 p.m.Clara McLean HouseIt’s a new year! Take charge in 2014 armed with knowledge on losing weight, eating healthy, quitting tobacco and starting a family. Registration required.FREE

American Red Cross Blood Drive Thursday, Jan. 1610 a.m. to 2 p.m. Health & Fitness-RichmondCall for appointment.

Calorie Density: How to Eat More & Weigh LessThursday, Jan. 16 5:30 p.m. Health & Fitness-Pinehurst Learn how to apply this philosophy to meet your weight loss goals without feeling hungry and deprived. FREE

American Red Cross Blood Drive Friday, Jan. 1710 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Montgomery Memorial HospitalCall for appointment.

Malnutrition & the Older AdultThursday, Jan. 23 11 a.m.Health & Fitness-Pinehurst Learn calorie-boosting tips to help older adults consume enough nourishing foods. FREE

Prepared Childbirth ClassSaturday, Jan. 249 a.m. to 2 p.m.Richmond Memorial HospitalThis one-day session will cover topics such as breastfeeding information, breathing techniques, pain control, labor positions pregnancy surprises and postpartum care. Call to register.FREE

February 2014Understanding Metabolism & Weight LossTuesday, Feb. 4 5:30 p.m.Health & Fitness-Pinehurst (See January entry for details)FREE

CrossFit Conditioning for Grades 6-8Thursdays, Feb. 6-27 5:15 to 6 p.m.Health & Fitness-Pinehurst (See January entry for details)Cost: $20 members/$25 community per month

Weight-loss Surgery Information SessionThursday, Feb 6 or Monday, Feb. 17 6 p.m.Clara McLean House(See January entry for details)FREE

Women & Children's Center TourMonday, Feb. 106 to 7 p.m.Moore Regional Hospital(See January entry for details) FREE

Moore Regional Hospital Women’s SeriesKnow Your NumbersTuesday, Feb. 115:30 p.m.Clara McLean HouseCholesterol, blood pressure, blood glucose—what do they all mean? What puts you at risk for stoke, heart disease and diabetes? What can you do to prevent these diseases and what factors can affect them? Registration required.FREE

Exercise is Medicine Orientation Wednesday, Feb. 12 12:15 p.m.Health & Fitness-Pinehurst (See January entry for details) FREE

All about ChocolateThursday, Feb. 13 12:15 to 12:45 p.m.Health & Fitness-Pinehurst Review the potential health benefits associated with chocolate and healthy ways to incorporate chocolate into your diet. $5 per person

Parents’ Night Out (ages 15 months to 11 years)Friday, Feb. 14 5 to 8 p.m.Center for Health & Fitness-Pinehurst $18 members/$23 community; each additional sibling: $12 members /$17 community

The Mediterranean DietTuesday, Feb. 18 11 a.m. or 5:30 p.m.Health & Fitness-Pinehurst This class will define the (real) Mediterranean Diet. FREE

American Red Cross Blood DriveWednesday, Feb. 2610 a.m.-3:30 p.m.Moore Regional HospitalCall for appointment.

March 2014Eat Smart: Which Foods Are Good for What?Tuesday, March 4 11 a.m.Health & Fitness-Pinehurst This class will cover popular topics, such as which foods are good for lowering cholesterol, protecting your eyes, staying regular and lowering blood pressure. FREE

American Red Cross Blood Drive Thursday, March 6 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Health & Fitness-Pinehurst Call for appointment.

Weight-loss Surgery Information SessionThursday, March 6 or Monday, March 17 6 p.m.Clara McLean House(See January entry for details)FREE

Breastfeeding Education ClassThursday, March 6 7 to 9 p.m.Moore Regional Hospital(See January entry for details)

Women & Children's Center TourMonday, March 106 to 7 p.m.Moore Regional Hospital(See January entry for details) FREE

Calendar

22 Winter 2013/2014

Moore Regional Hospital Women’s SeriesSpring CleaningTuesday, March 115:30 p.m.Clara McLean HouseJoin us we discuss the importance of annual exams. Call to register.FREE

Food & MoodThursday, March 13 12:15 to 12:45 p.m.Health & Fitness-Pinehurst Learn how certain foods influence brain chemistry. FREE

Dodge & Dive Grades K-5Friday, March 216 to 8 p.m.Center for Health & Fitness-Pinehurst Kids will experience different forms of the classic game of dodgeball. Cost: $5 member/$10 community

April 2014Moore Regional Hospital Women’s SeriesBack in the GameTuesday, April 85:30 p.m.Clara McLean HouseStaying active is important as we age, but we sometimes need some help to keep moving. Learn what options are available to keep you in the game! Call to register.FREE

Spring Break Youth Fitness Camp Grades K-5Monday-Friday, April 14-18 1 to 5 p.m.Center for Health & Fitness-Pinehurst Kids will be introduced to fitness using a variety of games, workouts and equipment.Cost: $75 members/$85 community

THINKING PINK–Local breast cancer survivors, their families and friends stood together following the 2013 1 in 8K Moore for the Cure event to raise breast cancer awareness by forming the largest human pink ribbon in the Sandhills. To schedule a digital mammogram at a FirstHealth facility as a self-requesting patient or with a referral from a provider, call (866) 415-2778 toll-free.

David A. Schlaff, P.A.-C FirstHealth Cardiovascular & Thoracic CenterHospital Affiliation: Moore Regional HospitalTraining: P.A., University of Detroit Mercy, Mich.

Cardiac & Thoracic Surgery

Pamela H. Mondi, ANP Pinehurst Medical ClinicHospital Affiliation: Moore Regional Hospital Training: ANP, Community General Hospital of Syracuse, N.Y.

Cardiology

Debbie Wright-Thomasson, M.D. Board Certified

FirstHealth Cardiology Hospital Affiliation: Moore Regional Hospital-Hoke Campus,

Richmond Memorial Hospital Training: M.D., University of Texas Medical BranchInternship/Residency: University of Texas Medical Branch;

Texas Tech University

Cardiology

Kaushik Sen, M.D. Board Certified

FirstHealth Sanford Hematology Oncology—a division of Moore Regional Hospital

Hospital Affiliation: Moore Regional Hospital Training: M.D., University of North DakotaInternship/Residency: Cleveland Clinic, Ohio

Cancer

Benjamin P. Donham, M.D. Board Certified

Sandhills Emergency PhysiciansHospital Affiliation: Moore Regional Hospital, Richmond

Memorial HospitalTraining: M.D., Emory University School of Medicine, Ga.Internship/Residency: University of Cincinnati, Ohio

Emergency Medicine

Sarah E. Haley-Wien, D.O. Board Certified

Sandhills Emergency PhysiciansHospital Affiliation: Moore Regional HospitalTraining: M.D., Ohio University College of Osteopathic

MedicineInternship/Residency: South Pointe Hospital, Ohio; New

Hanover Regional Medical Center, N.C.

Emergency Medicine

For more information, call (800) 213-3284. Some programs require registration.



Rupert Ainsley, M.D. Board Certified

FirstHealth HospitalistHospital Affiliation: Moore Regional Hospital Training: M.D., University of North Carolina Chapel HillInternship/Residency: University of Florida

Hospitalist

Peter A. Tucich, M.D. Board Certified

Sandhills Emergency PhysiciansHospital Affiliation: Moore Regional Hospital, Richmond

Memorial HospitalTraining: M.D., Wayne State University, Mich.Internship/Residency: Wayne State University Detroit

Medical Center, Mich.

Emergency Medicine

Keith E. McManus, M.D.Board Certified

FirstHealth Family Medicine, Siler CityHospital Affiliation: Outpatient practice onlyTraining: M.D., University of North Carolina-Chapel HillInternship/Residency: University of North Carolina

Hospitals, Florida Hospital

Family Medicine

T.J. Pulliam, M.D.Board Certified

FirstHealth GastroenterologyHospital Affiliation: Richmond Memorial HospitalTraining: M.D., Bowman Gray School of Medicine of Wake

Forest University, N.C.Internship/Residency: Wake Forest University Baptist, N.C.

Gastroenterology

Marcia H. Ballard, FNP FirstHealth Family Medicine, CarthageHospital Affiliation: Outpatient Practice onlyTraining: FNP, Duke University, N.C.

Family Medicine

Vicki Hardy, D.O. Board Certified

FirstHealth Primary Care, RaefordHospital Affiliation: Moore Regional Hospital-Hoke CampusTraining: M.D., Midwestern University Chicago College of

Osteopathic Medicine, Ill.Internship/Residency: Duke/SRAHEC Family Medicine

Residency Program, N.C.

Family Medicine

David A. Buckland, P.A.-CFirstHealth Family Medicine, BiscoeHospital Affiliation: Outpatient Practice onlyTraining: P.A., U.S. Army Academy of Health Sciences,

Texas

Family Medicine

Christine Cowell, P.A.-C FirstHealth Family Medicine, BiscoeHospital Affiliation: Outpatient Practice onlyTraining: P.A., King’s College, Pa.

Family Medicine

Tonya Eteo, FNPFirstHealth Internal MedicineHospital Affiliation: Outpatient practice onlyTraining: FNP, Frontier Nursing University, Ky.

Family Medicine

Betty Bruton Bradley, M.D. Board Certified

FirstHealth Family Medicine, CandorHospital Affiliation: Outpatient practice onlyTraining: M.D., Duke University School of Medicine, N.C.Internship/Residency: DUKE/FAHEC Family Practice

Residency, N.C.

Family Medicine

24 Winter 2013/2014

Kristen Bilinski, ANP FirstHealth HospitalistHospital Affiliation: Moore Regional Hospital Training: N.P., University of Louisville, Ky.

Hospitalist

Wendy G. Concas, M.D. Board Certified

FirstHealth HospitalistHospital Affiliation: Moore Regional Hospital Training: M.D., Universidad de San Martin de Porres, PeruInternship/Residency: Bronx Lebanon Hospital Center, N.Y.

Hospitalist

Richard E. Cunanan, D.O. Board Certified

FirstHealth HospitalistHospital Affiliation: Moore Regional Hospital Training: D.O., Kansas City University of Medicine and

Biosciences, Mo.Internship/Residency: Sparrow Hospital, Mich.

Hospitalist

Krista M. Tannery, P.A.-C FirstHealth HospitalistHospital Affiliation: Moore Regional Hospital Training: P.A., University of Washington

Hospitalist

Ohigbai A. Egwaikhide, M.D. Board Certified

FirstHealth HospitalistHospital Affiliation: Moore Regional Hospital Training: M.D., Jagiellonian University Medical College,

PolandInternship/Residency: Hurley Medical Center, Mich.

Hospitalist

Mariel K. Gillham, M.D. Board Certified

FirstHealth Hospitalist Hospital Affiliation: Moore Regional Hospital Training: M.D., Howard University, Washington, D.C. Internship/Residency: University of Pittsburgh Medical

Center

Hospitalist

Twyla R. Sterling, P.A.-C FirstHealth HospitalistHospital Affiliation: Moore Regional Hospital Training: P.A.-C, Arcadia University, Pa.

Hospitalist

Lorin E. Johnson, M.D. Board Certified

FirstHealth HospitalistHospital Affiliation: Moore Regional Hospital Training: M.D., UCLA School of Medicine, Calif.Internship/Residency: The Brooklyn Hospital Center, N.Y.

Hospitalist

Jena R. Kern, M.D.FirstHealth HospitalistHospital Affiliation: Moore Regional Hospital Training: M.D., Medical College of WisconsinInternship/Residency: MetroHealth Medical Center, Ohio

Hospitalist

Melanie Kirk, ANPFirstHealth HospitalistHospital Affiliation: Moore Regional Hospital Training: N.P., University of Alabama at Birmingham

Hospitalist

Charles B. Howarth, M.D. Board Certified

FirstHealth HospitalistHospital Affiliation: Moore Regional Hospital Training: M.D., SUNY Buffalo, N.Y.Internship/Residency: Bassett Healthcare, N.Y.

Hospitalist

Cheryl B. Batchelor, N.P.FirstHealth Transition Care ClinicHospital Affiliation: Outpatient practice only Training: N.P., Duke University School of Nursing, N.C.

Internal Medicine



New FirstHealth Medical Practices

FirstHealth Family Medicine

(with new locations in Biscoe,

Carthage and Siler City)

FirstHealth Gastroenterology

Rockingham

FirstHealth Primary Care

Raeford

FirstHealth Sanford Hematology

Oncology—a division of Moore

Regional Hospital

FirstHealth Transition Care Clinic

Pinehurst

Southern Pines Women’s Health

Center—a FirstHealth Clinic


call (800) 213-3284

Currin L. Bender, P.A.-C FirstHealth NeurosurgeryHospital Affiliation: Moore Regional Hospital Training: P.A., LeMoyne College, N.Y.

Neurosurgery

Ashley E. King, P.A.-C Pinehurst Hip & Knee Center Hospital Affiliation: Moore Regional Hospital Training: P.A., University of North Georgia

Orthopaedics

Sarah H. Uffindell, M.D.Board Certified

FirstHealth HospitalistHospital Affiliation: Moore Regional Hospital Training: M.D., Loma Linda University School of Medicine,

Calif.Internship/Residency: Loma Linda University Medical

Center, Calif.

Neurology

For a complete listing of FirstHealth of the Carolinas providers, visit our website at www.firsthealth.org/physician. If you prefer a printed copy, call (800) 213-3284.

Steven C. Lewis, M.D.Board Certified

FirstHealth Hospitalist Hospital Affiliation: Moore Regional Hospital Training: M.D., West Virginia University School of MedicineInternship/Residency: National Capital Consortium

Program, Md.Neurology

Neurology

Mahalia R. Guerrier, M.D.FirstHealth Primary Care, RaefordHospital Affiliation: Moore Regional Hospital-Hoke

CampusTraining: M.D., Ross University School of Medicine, N.J.Internship/Residency: Mary Immaculate Hospital, N.Y.

Internal Medicine

26 Winter 2013/2014

Family fitness meansfun for the family, too

The FirstHealth Youth Triathlon was such a wonderful experience for our entire family. My boys practiced riding the 2.1-mile loop in our neighborhood, and were determined to use their new bikes for the race, even though they were heavier and larger than the ones they learned to ride only three weeks earlier.

For each of the boys, I had knots in my stomach as they lined up at the pool. They both ended up accepting a pool noodle, though neither one of them needs one to swim. I think they were just so excited that it was a little disorienting for them.

For the biking portion, I waited at the bottom of the hill and ran ahead of our middle son, yelling my encouragement. I planned to do the same for our oldest son, but while I was busy cheering for a little girl I recognized from my sons’ school, he zoomed on past me—uphill!

I felt such pride as they crossed the finish line after the run portion. They were so exhausted, but high on endorphins—and the prospect of Rita's Italian Ice. In a matter of three weeks, our boys went from not knowing how to ride a two-wheeler to completing a kids’ triathlon. I was ecstatic for them.

The race went off without a hitch (at least as far as I, the naïve mom, could tell). There was a great sense of community and esprit de corps. Strangers cheered for other people’s children, and parents nervously chatted about the kids being able to brake while riding downhill, or their son using a hand-me-down pink-and-purple bike, etc.

The yellow flier that came home in the boys’ school folder was the impetus for them learning to ride their bikes. I am so glad that our family participated in this event. What a wonderful way to promote health and fitness for children!

Megan BradyAberdeen

The FirstHealth Youth Triathlon is an annual running, biking and swimming event hosted by the FirstHealth Center for Health & Fitness-Pinehurst to promote fitness in children ages 4 to 12. Every participant in the fourth annual Youth Triathlon, which was held May 18, 2013, received a finisher’s medal after crossing the finish line. Awards went to the first-, second- and third-place boy and girl in each race.

Although only 6-year-old Garrett (left) and 7-year-old Harrison actually participated in the FirstHealth Youth Triathlon, the entire Brady family had a great experience at the annual event. The boys are the sons of J.J. and Megan Brady of Aberdeen, whose youngest son—3-year-old Tripp—is just getting the hang of riding his tricycle but looks forward to participating in the Youth Triathlon as soon as he is old enough.



Let’s all get healthyHi Jeff,

It was great talking to you the other day at the (FirstHealth Center for Health & Fitness-Pinehurst). I was glad that you noticed I had been coming to the gym more frequently and looked like I had lost a few pounds. You were correct. I have been trying to come several days a week since the start of the year.

As I stated at the gym, I am 56 years old and have been on high blood pressure and cholesterol medicine for over 20 years. I was happy to let you know that, because of the exercise program, I am now off both medicines. It just goes to show you it is never too late to start an exercise program and just because you start on medication does not mean you have to stay on medication the rest of your life. You are in control of your health, so a word to everyone out there: Just get started and stay with it.

Good luck to everyone and see you next week at the gym. Let’s all get healthy and happy. Thanks for your support and encouragement.Regards,

Dave Ennis Pinehurst

Jeff Moody II is a certified personal and Level 1 CrossFit trainer with the FirstHealth Center for Health & Fitness-Pinehurst. He has B.S. and M.A. degrees from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke.

Jeff Moody II

Praise for Montgomery MemorialI commend (hospitalist physician) Ralph Wall, M.D., and your

FirstHealth Montgomery Memorial Hospital staff for the treatment and care my husband received. The young ladies did their jobs with enthusiasm and great care. The effort put into seeing that we returned home to Delaware with the proper equipment and supplies to see Ed safely into care at the VA was really an accomplishment.

Again, thank you for the care that all of you have given.

Mrs. Edward MillettLewes, Del.

After I injured my shoulder (tearing the rotator cuff in a fall), my doctor elected to try physical therapy to see if we could avoid surgery. I checked into the Physical Therapy Department at Montgomery Memorial Hospital. I was there one hour a day, three days a week, for three weeks.

I would like to say that Montgomery County and surrounding areas are very fortunate to have a group of therapists of this caliber. You could not ask for a more friendly, dedicated and professional group. Due to their good work, I will not require surgery.

Thank you, physical therapists Tim Murphy and Nancy Hancock and physical therapy assistant Andy Gillis, and all who work in the department.

Carl W. BrownSeagrove

Appreciation for the caregivers of First Surgical Nursing

I am a pancreatic cancer survivor with seven surgeries including a Whipple procedure and a pancreatic transplant. Since July 2006, because of the diagnosis and many complications from all of the surgery, I have been admitted to the hospital (here at FirstHealth and at other facilities) 37 times. A (May 2013 hospitalization) makes it now 38 times due to hernia surgery.

I feel, because of this, that I am qualified to share the following information with you. The care I received at First Surgical (at Moore Regional Hospital) surpassed all that I have experienced. The nurses and techs on that floor made me feel that I was the only patient in the hospital. When I felt a need to use the call bell, they were there in less than one minute. Their courtesy and care came from the heart and not just their job.

The people who performed this care were Ami Denton, R.N.; Kimberly Pennington, R.N.; Rhonda Ritter, R.N.; and Geraldine Thomas, PCT. I truly feel they need to be acknowledged. I hope you will do this.

Kenneth A. RahalSouthern Pines

I served for over a year in Moore County as a volunteer chaplain associate so I have come to see the way Moore Regional Hospital conducts business and the emphasis it places on individual patient care, both physical and spiritual.

I was recently diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma located in the lymph nodes of my neck. Dr. Wyman McGuirt (an ear, nose and throat specialist with Pinehurst Surgical) operated on me in June, removing the cancer and my tonsils for safety’s sake. I was very impressed by the quality of the physical care I received. I was also treated with respect and truly cared about.

Several times a day, nurses would stop for moment to see if I needed anything. Sometimes it was just to bring me some fresh ice water. Their cheer and encouragement were greatly appreciated. The cleaning lady was very pleasant and did an excellent job of keeping the room clean.

I would like to give praise to the following nurses, because I got their names, but others were involved also. The nurses of First Surgical are a great group of people, and the hospital is fortunate to have each of them. The names I do have are Elaine Ward, R.N.; Angie Beasley, R.N., and Nancy Valenti, R.N.

To them and to the others whose names I did not catch, I would like to say a hearty “Thank you. I am better and getting stronger every day.”

The Rev. Stephen W. BennettRaeford

28 Winter 2013/2014

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FirstHealth Magazine - Winter 2013 - 2014

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