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PAGE 2B
aReportei
October 15,2008
The best little hospital in Georgia
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I ’ve been fortunate to
go through the
Leadership
Monroe
class of
2008. The class
exposes enrollees
to various
aspects of com
munity life
including local
and state govern
ment, public
service, the
school system
and economic
development.
Tiffany Andrews
and her team at
the chamber
have done an
excellent job of
convincing at least this
k
By O.J.
Booker
sometimes jaded person
that this place in which
we live is truly
worthy of
growth and
investment.
I had the
pleasure of
hosting my own
class at the hos
pital last week.
We had hosted
the class the
last two years,
but this time, I
was a partici
pant. In prior
years, I just
gave a presen
tation on the
hospital and
healthcare in
general, toured the build
ing, and thought that was
enough.
I decided to do it a little
differently this year. On
Thursday morning, 11
members of the class and
Tiffany assembled to hear
each department manager
of the hospital do a brief
talk on what they do for a
living. This is where the
corner was turned, and I
felt compelled to write
about it.
As I sat back and
watched each department
manager get up in front of
that crowd, my heart filled
with gratitude. This hos
pital has the greatest
management team I can
imagine. Each person
spoke with conviction and
pride, with knowledge and
integrity. Each manager
conveyed, without a shad
ow of doubt, the love they
had for the tiptop desire to
take care of people. Each
manager displayed their
expertise not boastfully,
but as their gift to do the
very best for the hurt, sick
and desperate that come
through our doors.
Patients come first.
That message came from
the lips of everyone, over
and over and over again.
I heard pride in THEIR
hospital, a burning desire
to care for others, and a
commitment to the people
they serve. They each
carried the message of
hope and love to these
community leaders and
painted a picture that was
masterful, full of meaning,
and moving.
I hear these same mes
sages from all corners of
the hospital — from line
staff, volunteers, the
physicians, the Authority
members - we all have the
same desire.
Leadership is not just
forward-thinking, plan
ning, business smarts and
collaboration. There has to
be a large dollop of love
mixed in to hold the whole
organization together. I
work right smack dab in
the middle of all of that
love, every single day.
What greater gift could I
have?
When the pressures of
poor reimbursement,
unfunded mandates, and
climbing costs seem to
overwhelm me, I think
about the good that comes
from the hearts of employ
ees and management, and
it makes me even more
fiercely determined to
make myself more useful
to those around me. It
reminds me that I am just
one person in a team of
people with the same goal,
and it makes me hope to
serve others as well as
they serve.
O.J. Booker is CEO of
Monroe County Hospital.
Facts for
women about
breast cancer
Women should protect their health with routine med
ical screenings and by being aware of risk factors to cer
tain types of cancers. While breast cancer statistics and
annual mammograms are widely known, many women
don't have the facts about ovarian cancer, another lead
ing female cancer. Here are some statistics, courtesy of
the American Cancer Society (www.cancer.org).
* More than 21,000 new cases of ovarian cancer will be
diagnosed in the United States in 2008. Of those cases,
more than 15,000 women will die from the disease.
* Ovarian cancer is the eighth most common cancer
and the fifth leading cause of cancer death.
* A woman's chance of getting ovarian cancer in her
lifetime is roughly 1 in 71.
* Researchers think there may be a correlation between
the release of eggs and the risk for ovarian cancer.
Pregnancy and taking birth control pills could reduce the
risk.
* Women who have had a hysterectomy or a tubal liga
tion (tubes tied) are at a lower risk for ovarian cancer.
* Most ovarian cancers happen after change of life
(menopause). Half of all these cancers are found in
women over the age of 63.
* It appears that obese women have a higher risk of
getting ovarian cancer. One ACS study found a higher
rate of death from ovarian cancer in women who were
overweight. The risk went up by 50 percent in the heavi
est women.
* During a pelvic exam the doctor will feel the female
organs to check their size and shape to determine if
there are tumors present.
Robert J. Parel, MD
Board Certified General Surgeon
Performing
General Surgery • Oncologic
Breast • Laparoscopic
GI • Endocrine
380 Hospital Dr Bldg A
Suite 370 • Macon, GA 31217
478-745-0711
Heritage Healthcare
OF FORSYTH
Committed to Caring
FORMERLY KNOWN AS FORSYTH HEALTHCARE
We’re Still the Hometown Facility You Trust!
Voted “Best Aged Healthcare” in Monroe County
Received the “Georgia Quality Award” by GHCA and GMCF
eritage Healthcare of Forsyth offers Physical, Occupational, and Speech
Sometimes after a recent surgery, Physical and/or Occupational Therapy is needed. Therapy
may be needed due to the type of surgery or a decreased level of functional ability. Here at
Heritage Healthcare of Forsyth, we offer rehabilitation services for short-term patients or
even long-term patients.
Benefits of a therapy program include:
• Improved muscular strength and joint
motion
• Increased mobility
• Greater independence with activities
• Improved safety
• Injury prevention
• Greater endurance
ki
Therapy programs are designed
after an evaluation of the patient
is completed. Short-term and
long-term goals are set to meet
the patient’s need by a licensed
therapist in accordance with the
physician’s order.
Other services provided are:
• I.V. Therapy
• Oxygen Therapy
• Wound Care Management
• Pain Management
For more information please give us a call
at 478-994-5671 or come by for a tour of our facility.
521 Cabiness Road • Forsyth, GA 31029 • 478-994-5671