Stay Healthy – Stay in the Game
Athletes come in all kinds of packages; lanky and tall, small and powerful and everything in between. Physical conditions range from the impressively in-shape top performer to the out-of-shape weekend warrior. Wherever your position in the line-up, the benefits of participating in sports are numerous. And a sports physical will ensure you’re healthy enough to play without the risk of injury.
An annual sports physical can identify health issues that could potentially interfere with your participation in a sport. Your physician is then able to prescribe treatment or rehab to correct the problem before practice starts and the team begins play. These exams can protect the athlete from life-threatening conditions, as well as lesser, but still serious physical threats.
Body Guard Sports Medicine, affiliated with Sumner Regional Medical Center in Gallatin, Tennessee, is a comprehensive sports medicine program dedicated to the treatment and prevention of sports injuries in athletes of all ages. Body Guard Sports Medicine focuses on your wellbeing so that you’re prepared to play in the sport of your choice. At Body Guard Sports Medicine, we provide the following services:
- Athletic training to student athletes in area schools
- Access to award-winning wound care services, and comprehensive diagnostic and rehab services
- Expert sports medicine care to athletes and non-athletes of all ages
So whether you’re a middle-age member on the company’s softball team, a twenty-something athlete, or a rising high school or middle school star, Body Guard Sports Medicine is here to help with health issues, provide treatment and rehab therapy and training to keep you safe when you’re out on the field.
You work at taking care of yourself, and we’re here to help you with that. Life’s a grand and exciting game. Enjoy what you’re doing. Stay competitive. Stay healthy. And call Body Guard Sports Medicine at 615-328-3380 for information or an appointment. We excel at our job so you can excel at your play. Call today.
Be A Survivor, Not A Statistic
Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. Your risk runs at about one in twenty, on average. The older you are, the higher your risk becomes. Ninety percent of the new annual cases of colon cancer are found in those of us age fifty, or older. But check out this statistic…
Currently there are more that one million colon cancer survivors in the U.S.!
There is protection to be had. There are solutions available. You don’t have to become a statistic – you or your loved ones. A simple phone call to Sumner Regional Medical Center in Gallatin, Tennessee will set the protection and solutions in place. Be a survivor, not a statistic. Call (800) 242-DOCS today for information regarding colon cancer screening.
Survivors have sought protection. Screening is the best protection for reducing your risk of colon cancer. In the past five years, screening rates have increased by sixty percent. Colon cancer is unique in that it’s one of the most preventable cancers, and if found early through screening, it’s the most treatable form of cancer. Yet a third of adults within the age range of 50-75 are still not being screened as we should be.
Those who think they may be at risk for colon cancer should speak with a doctor. The risk factors include
- Being over the age of 50 – Colon cancer is more likely to occur as we get older.
- Family history – Close family relatives having had colon cancer increases our own risk.
- Personal history – Having had any cancer ourselves puts us at a somewhat higher risk for developing colon cancer.
- Other diseases – Particularly ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease.
- Obesity and a sedentary lifestyle.
- Cigarette smoking.
Protect your health with healthy lifestyle habits. Participate in an exercise regimen, and eat a healthy, balanced diet. Don’t smoke. And knowing your family’s medical history is important to your own well-being. Be informed. Prevent this disease and its results. Take advantage of screenings, because colon cancer can develop to serious stages before revealing symptoms.
March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Make use of the protections and solutions offered against colon cancer by contacting the Gastroenterology Services at Sumner Regional Medical Center in Gallatin, Tennessee. The board certified gastroenterologists at Sumner Regional Medical Center treat a broad range of conditions by performing various specialized procedures and treatments as well as providing guidance for maintaining your health and the prevention of disease.
If you’re over fifty, at high risk or suffering symptoms you don’t understand, call (800) 242 DOCS for information and to schedule an appointment today. Our professional, compassionate staff at SRMC is here to treat you well.
Your Heart – Your Health
The #1 killer both men and women in American is cardiovascular disease (CVD) and includes heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure and other related diseases. Not only is heart disease the number one killer, but it also is the leading cause of disability in this country. The good news is that many CVD deaths are preventable simply by changing to a healthier lifestyle and through the closer management of health conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes.
February is American Heart Month, and Sumner Regional Medical Center in Gallatin, Tennessee offers education on risk factors, tips for prevention of heart disease and guidance regarding living with heart disease. Together we can fight to prevent and overcome this killer among us.
Risk factors for diseases of the heart include obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, poor sleep habits, lack of exercise, diabetes and having a close family relative with CVD.
Preventing heart disease includes lifestyle changes as simple as maintaining your weight, blood pressure and cholesterol numbers within healthy ranges. Eat a heart-healthy diet, exercise regularly, don’t smoke and limit your use of alcohol. If you suffer diabetes, manage it with your medications and by following your doctor’s orders. An annual physical exam allows your physician to identify any symptoms or signs of advancing heart disease, and to prevent or slow it with appropriate treatment.
Living with heart disease need not be frightening. If you’ve been diagnosed with a heart disease, following your physician’s orders and medication treatment along with simple lifestyle adjustments can help you avoid a worsening condition. Listen to and accept your doctor’s directions. Stay on a healthy diet. Engage in an exercise regimen. Educate yourself regarding your heart health with readily-available resources. Find a support group and maintain social contacts. Exercising discipline regarding your heart health will allow you to continue a productive and pleasant life. Life may change a bit, but it goes on, and life going on is a wonderful thing, indeed.
The ER at Sumner Regional Medical Center in Gallatin, TN is an accredited Chest Pain Center providing a high level of expertise for treating heart attack symptoms. And our first-class Cardiovascular Outpatient Unit maintains full-time cardiologists on staff. With a state-of-the-art cardiac catheterization lab and a world-class cardiac rehab program, Sumner Regional has what it takes to protect your heart health. When you or your loved ones need medical care, the qualified, compassionate SRMC staff is here to treat you well.
Your Imagination is the Limit
Do you remember when kids’ imaginations took them to new worlds and new frontiers in this world? You can help your little ones recapture that when they’re bored with being indoors during cold weather months. Even simple activities can be fun and can help shake off the boredom of being cooped up indoors. Explore a few of these options, and try some of your own. Tailor them to your children’s age levels. You just might be surprised at the attitude adjustments that occur with activity.
- Do you have a staircase? Have the kiddos climb up on their knees, then bump/slide down on their backsides. Hey, Everest climbers have to start somewhere.
- Make a train of boxes—you know, box cars. Take turns being the engineer. Travel to the wilds or an exotic city.
- Write up clues for a scavenger hunt that takes the kids throughout the house. Make the prize worth their work.
- Play a rousing game of Simon Says.
- Build a fort of furniture and covers.
- Put a hula hoop or two to good use.
- Play Twister. Remember that oldie? Still a goodie.
- Try a game of Charades. “Guess which animal I am!” Simple as that.
Do you have a treadmill? Weights? Jump rope? Indoor trampoline? Any exercise equipment? Let the kids give your equipment a work-out. To tunes. Or to a timer.
Remember calisthenics? Put them through a regimen of jumping jacks, sit-ups, push-ups, running in place, squats and whatever else you recall while pumping out the tunes.
If all else fails, get them involved in interactive video games. Competing at bowling can get them moving, at least a little bit, and can help get their spirits up.
Active kids are healthy and happy kids. When you instigate activity, you’re helping them physically and mentally, and not just for today, but also for their future. Burning calories helps keep weight down. Jumping and running strengthens bones. Playing and laughing together ups endorphins and lowers risk of depression. Kids that expend energy are better able to concentrate on their studies, and behave better, too. Whatever keeps kids from sitting around helps protect them from cardiovascular and other diseases later in life that can result from a sedentary lifestyle.
Your children receive the best of care at Sumner Regional Medical Center. We’ve been tending to the healthcare of children for more than fifty years. Our dedicated pediatrician unit and staff are here to give your children the competent, compassionate care they need when they need it. Your little one’s visit or stay will be as comfortable and pleasant as we can make it.
When children need medical care, they’ll get the finest care available at Sumner Regional Medical Center in Gallatin, TN.
Get Covered Today
Are you in need of health care coverage? Sumner Regional’s Certified Application Counselors are here to help you successfully navigate the Health Insurance Marketplace in Gallatin, Tennessee. If you or a family member needs health insurance, or you need help re-enrolling for the coming year, call us at 1-888-982-9144, or email us for information. A representative will personally assist you as you work through the options to choose the health care plan that fits your needs.
There are a variety of coverage plans offered, but all plans cover the following:
- Primary care and pediatrician visits
- Prescriptions
- Preventive healthcare and screenings
- ER and Urgent Care visits
- Treatment of pre-existing medical conditions
DOCUMENTS
The documents required for enrollment include:
- Your social security number
- Employer and income information for each member of your household who needs coverage
- Policy numbers for any current health coverage plans
- A completed Employer Coverage Tool for every job-related plan for you and each household member
IMPORTANT DATES
- December 15, 2014 – You must enroll by this date to avoid a lapse in your coverage at year’s end
- December 31, 2015 – All current Marketplace coverage ends, regardless of when you enrolled
- January 1, 2015 – New coverage begins – if you enrolled by the December 15, 2014 date
- February 15, 2015 – End of the Open Enrollment period
Accessible and affordable health coverage is available. If you are presently on Medicare, you don’t need to visit the Health Insurance Marketplace. There are also alternative coverages available to you as specified under the Affordable Care Act, such as Medi-share, Samaritan Ministries and Christian Healthcare Ministries.
Sumner Regional’s Certified Application Counselors will explore and compare the available plans with you, answer your questions and work with you to determine the plan most suited to you and your family’s needs. If you need assistance, we are here and happy to help. Our representatives are available for a personal appointment or to help you over the phone Monday through Saturday. Call 1-888-982-9144 or come by the hospital. We’ll schedule you in and help you out. At Sumner Regional Medical Center, when you need us, we’ve got you covered.
Have You Heard the Good News? Diabetes Is Preventable
Diabetes Statistics
- Nearly 30-million Americans have diabetes, according to the latest statistics from the Center for Disease Control.
- A study at Harvard reported that another 6-million people are diabetic but don’t know they have the disease.
- Diabetes is the leading cause of nerve damage, blindness and kidney failure among adults, and having this disease greatly increases your risk of heart disease.
- Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States.
Luckily, nine-out-of-10 cases of diabetes are avoidable. For those at risk, changes in weight, diet and implementing an exercise plan can prevent diabetes and bring blood sugar levels within acceptable range. Even the inherited risk of Type 2 diabetes can be thwarted by lifestyle changes.
Lifestyle changes can be the path to Type 2 diabetes prevention. These simple changes in your lifestyle now may help you avoid the serious health complications of diabetes in the future. And implementing this plan can help those with diabetes to manage the disease and avoid future health complications. Lifestyle changes include:
- Escape the sedentary lifestyle. Become physically active. Benefits of regular exercise include weight loss, lower blood sugar levels and a boost in your body’s insulin sensitivity which aids in maintaining normal range blood sugar levels. Just thirty minutes of daily exercise, made up of both aerobic and resistance training, makes a difference in your health.
- Enjoy a healthy diet. Eat plenty of fiber found in veggies, fruits, beans, whole grains, nuts and seeds. Resist fad diets. Avoid sugary drinks. Practice portion control. Make wise nutritional choices as a daily part of your healthy eating plan.
- Drop the extra weight. Discuss the right weight for you with your doctor, and get there. Your general health will improve, and maintaining a healthy weight is a great part of your diabetes maintenance and prevention plan.
- Don’t smoke. Stop smoking if you do. And abstain from alcohol.
Diabetes care in Gallatin, Tennessee is provided for you at Sumner Regional Medical Center. The Sumner Diabetes Program is taught by a Registered Nurse and a Registered Dietitian, both certified by the National Certification Board of Diabetes Instructors. We encourage you to attend the daytime or evening session for the one-day class on diabetes education, and bring your spouse or another friend. These classes are kept small to maintain a relaxed atmosphere. Ask your doctor for an order for the Sumner Regional Diabetes and Nutrition Education class. Call 615-328-6190 for more information.
Breast Cancer Screenings – Preemptive Medicine At Its Best
Did you know that cancer screenings help discover cancer before there are any signs or symptoms? Breast cancer screenings in the Gallatin, Tennessee at Imaging for Women at Sumner Station accomplish just that.
There are three main tests that screen for breast cancer.
- Mammogram – an X-ray of the breasts are the best means of detecting breast cancer early while it’s still easy to treat. A mammogram can detect cancer before it’s grown enough to feel in a clinical or self-breast exam, and before symptoms are revealed.
- Clinical Breast Exam – this hands-on exam is conducted by your doctor, nurse or other healthcare professional, and checks for lumps or changes in the breasts. Both underarms are examined as well, to check for enlarged lymph nodes.
- Breast Self Exam – checking your own breasts and both underarms for any changes or lumps. If you notice anything different during these monthly self-exams, contact your physician right away.
The earlier breast cancer is discovered, the better the chances that treatment will be successful. A screening mammogram looks for breast disease in women who don’t have breast health problems. A diagnostic mammogram further examines an abnormal result during a screening. Mammograms use very little radiation, and greatly lower the risk of complications from breast cancer.
Discuss these cancer screenings with your doctor, decide which are right for you and when you should have them. This is a general guideline for testing:
- Breast Self Exam – start at age 20
- Mammogram – first one at 40 years of age, and every year after as long as you maintain good health
- Clinical Breast Exam – every year after age 40
Remember that the goal of screenings is to find cancer before it has a chance to cause symptoms. Schedule and follow through with your screenings, and encourage those you love to do the same. Screenings save lives. That is a fact.
Imaging for Women at Sumner Station in Gallatin, TN provides comprehensive cancer screenings and mammograms close to home. For cancer-related information, education and support call 615-328-3360.
Same-Day Surgery – Is It For You?
Did you know that it’s difficult to validate the quality of care extended in free-standing Ambulatory Surgical Centers (ASCs) as compared to your local hospital and its affiliated same-day surgery center? Though they are part of a highly regulated industry, these free-standing surgical centers are not at this time required to report information regarding the outcomes of procedures performed in their facilities. ASCs started submitting quality data to CMS in 2012, but CMS hasn’t released the complete information. Insufficient information stops accurate assessment of ASC’s care levels.
The quality of care is highly documented for your local, hospital-based surgery center in Gallatin, Tennessee. The benefits of receiving treatment at Sumner Regional’s Same Day Surgery start with the peace of mind that comes in knowing you’re connected to the resources of a full-service medical facility. You receive the same quality of care as a patient in the hospital, with the convenience of recuperating at home, including:
- Superb care from our outstanding medical teams.
- Superb competence from our physicians and professional staff.
- Less cost with no hospital stay involved.
When an overnight or extended hospital stay isn’t required following your surgery, Sumner Regional’s Same Day Surgery Center is where you want to be. With the wide range of surgical procedures and numerous specialties performed here, when you and your doctor agree that outpatient surgery is right for you, Sumner Regional Same Day Surgery is your best option.
Schedule your same-day surgery and you’ll recognize the convenience.
- Easy check-in
- Receive your treatment on schedule
- Your recovery is closely monitored
- Clear and detailed instructions are given upon your release for care and recuperation in your own home
We make certain all this is as convenient for you as possible and that you’re confident in knowing what to expect while you recover in the comfort and privacy of your home.
When you need surgery, contact Sumner Regional Medical Center Same Day Surgery at 615-230-5096. With the same high-quality care received in our hospital, at up to 25% less cost, and the convenience of going home after a short time of recovery, you’ll reap all the benefits that comes with knowing you’re in the best of skilled, competent, caring hands.
The Bountiful Benefits of Breastfeeding
August is National Breastfeeding Month, and Sumner Regional Medical Center joins in celebrating the amazing benefits of mother’s milk. Everything your baby needs for nutrition in the first six months of life is supplied by this miracle fluid.
Marian Thompson, one of the founders of La Leche League, stated that the variety of health benefits from breastfeeding favorably affect both mother and newborn. This statement has been proven by personal experience for thousands of years, and through many studies during the past 200 years. These findings are both fascinating and well-founded.
Benefits of Breastfeeding for Baby
- Baby receives the perfect balance of vitamins, protein and fat in easily digested nutrients for growth and development
- Baby’s immune system is strengthened by the antibodies present in Mother’s breast milk
- When breastfed for at least the first six months of life, Baby suffers fewer infections and allergies
- Childhood issues such as diabetes and obesity are less likely to develop
- Breast milk is even shown to improve brain development
Benefits of Breastfeeding for Mother
- Quicker return to pre-pregnancy weight
- Reduction of risk for cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and stroke
- Lowers risk of breast and ovarian cancers
- May lower risk of osteoporosis
- Alleviates stress
- Time and cost savings – no preparing of bottles; no purchasing of formula: gives time to feed Baby, and bond together
Breastfeeding is special for so many reasons. The physical closeness results in a treasured bond between Mother and Baby. Offering nutrition only Mother can provide results in skin-to-skin contact and lots of loving eye contact. The health and relational benefits to both Mother and Baby can last for a lifetime.
Sumner Regional Medical Center provides a Breastfeeding Basics Class on the fourth Tuesday of every month from 6:30 to 9 PM. These free, beneficial classes are recommended for mothers-to-be during the 6th – 8th months of pregnancy. Spouses and support friends or family members are welcome.
Special Delivery 101, a Prepared Childbirth Class, is offered on the first four consecutive Mondays every month. From 6:30 to 9 PM, these free classes extend information regarding pregnancy, labor, delivery and newborn care. Spouses, support friends and family members are welcome. Attendance is recommended during the 7th or 8th month of pregnancy.
For more information about our breastfeeding and childbirth classes, including schedules or to register, call 615-328-4123. SRMC stands ready to support mothers in their decision to breastfeed their babies. We’ll face your challenges with you in those first few weeks and help you succeed at giving your baby – and yourself – the bountiful benefits of breastfeeding.
Sumner Regional Medical 