Sylvan Grove Hospital's Swing Bed program allows an individual to move his or her level of care from acute to skilled rehabilitation and still remain in a hospital setting. The program is designed to help a patient heal and return home.

During time in the Swing Bed program, patients and their families often develop warm relationships with the therapists, nurses, other hospital staff, and fellow patients who are helping them work toward a return to health and more self-sufficiency. The annual reunion gives them all a chance to get together, reminisce, catch up, and just have a good time.

"We practice modern medicine with old-fashioned family values" said Sylvan Grove Hospital Administrator Ed Whitehouse as he addressed the reunion. "Yes, you do," came a shout from the audience.

"I know you sometimes refer to therapy as the torture chamber while you're here, but we're glad to see you back," said Whitehouse. "You've got a good therapy department," said a voice from another part of the crowd.

People, including many from outside of Butts County, come to Sylvan Grove's Swing Bed program to recover from joint replacement or other types of surgery, to recover from stroke, cardiac, or respiratory illness or other medical conditions, and to heal wounds that need long-term antibiotics or other therapy.

The Swing Bed program admitted its first patient in March 2000; it admitted 294 patients during 2007.

The medical director of the program is Dr. Bennie White; important personnel in the program include Pattie Joyner, Dorothy Clear, Rene Cason, and Julie Johnson.

Doodles the Clown kept the attendees at the reunion laughing, from children to those in their 90's. She was assisted by Steve, the ferret and Gladys, the rabbit as well as Vernon and Conner from the audience.

"It's really been a success," said Whitehouse, referring to both the Swing Bed program and the reunion.

Residents are encouraged to attend and take advantage of free health screenings such as cholesterol, glucose, blood pressure, body fat, balance, posture, lung function, prostate cancer (PSA blood test and digital rectal exam) and bone density. Health screenings are offered for adults ages 18 and older.

In addition, the Butts County Health Department will offer flu shots for $25 (cash/check) or Medicare can be filed, and many community resource organizations will have informational booths.

“We are able to offer even more screenings and hope to have strong community participation and support at this year’s health fair,” says Lisa Johnson, Director of Nursing at Sylvan Grove Hospital and one of the event organizers. “I encourage everyone to take advantage of this free event. It is a great opportunity to check up on your health and learn about the many resources available in our community.”

The health fair is presented by Sylvan Grove Hospital in partnership with the Butts County Health Department and Butts County Parks and Recreation.

All ultrasound, X-ray and CT procedures will now be digitally processed. Patients and physicians will no longer have to wait for hard copies of images or reports to be delivered. Physicians will receive images more quickly and be able to access their patient’s images from any computer with Internet access, such as from the hospital, the office or at home. In addition, the remote access will allow physicians who are on-call to view imaging reports without having to be at the hospital. This allows physicians to make an accurate diagnosis quicker and begin treatment on a patient sooner.

PACS also gives radiologists and other imaging professionals instant access to images. Radiologists and clinicians can immediately see if the image study is satisfactory or another image is needed before the patient leaves Radiology.

“We are proud to bring this digital advancement into our hospital to benefit our employees, our physicians and our patients,” says Edward Whitehouse, Administrator at Sylvan Grove Hospital. “It is an example of our commitment to providing quality healthcare to our community.”

PACS is being implemented at Sylvan Grove Hospital, Spalding Regional Medical Center in Griffin, Ga., and Spalding Regional Urgent Care at Heron Bay in Locust Grove, Ga.

About 700 hospitals or approximately 15% of hospitals in the United States have applied for and received the award. This marks the fifth time that Sylvan Grove Hospital has received this recognition.

The QRCR program was started by the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) in 2003 to help consumers identify facilities that are using qualified respiratory therapists to provide respiratory care. Hospitals earning the QRCR designation ensure patient safety by agreeing to adhere to a strict set of criteria governing their respiratory care services.

To qualify for the recognition, Sylvan Grove Hospital provided documentation showing it meets the following conditions:

• All respiratory therapists employed at Sylvan Grove Hospital to deliver bedside respiratory care services are either legally recognized by the state as competent to provide respiratory care services or hold the CRT or RRT credential.
• Respiratory therapists are available 24 hours a day.
• Other personnel qualified to perform specific respiratory procedures and the amount of supervision required for personnel to carry out specific procedures must be designated in writing.
• A doctor of medicine or osteopathy is designated as medical director of respiratory care services.

The AARC’s QRCR program grew out of growing concerns among health care leaders and the general public regarding the safety and quality of health care services provided to patients. Hospitals that meet the QRCR requirements provide a level of respiratory care consistent with national standards and guidelines, and should be commended for their commitment to quality care. A list of QRCR hospitals is maintained at the association’s website for consumers, YourLungHealth.org.

“True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others, at whatever cost,” said tennis great Arthur Ashe.

“We see this dedication to the service of others throughout our hospital as our employees work together every day to provide high quality care to our patients and their families,” said Edward Whitehouse, Administrator, Sylvan Grove Hospital. “We’re very proud of each and every member of our staff and the contributions they make throughout the year.”

Since 1921, hospitals across the country have been celebrating National Hospital & Healthcare Week and inviting their communities to join in saying “thank you” to the nurses, technicians and many other health care workers who provide quality care throughout the year. National Nurse’s Week honors the hard work and dedication of nurses and begins on the birth date of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing. 

“You often hear our employees talk about their role as being a calling,” said Whitehouse. “That feeling is shown in every caring touch and the time they spend listening to our patients and families. I’m frequently touched by the compassion and sensitivity they show. National Nurse’s Week and National Hospital & Healthcare Week allow each of us the chance to say thank you to these extraordinary individuals who care for our family and friends.” 

As part of the annual celebration, the Tenet Healthcare Foundation will honor an employee at Sylvan Grove Hospital for their work in the community by donating to the charitable organization of the employee’s choice. Gwen Childs, Patient Access Manager at Sylvan Grove Hospital was selected for this honor for her work with the American Cancer Society and the Butts County Relay for Life event. Gwen plans to give the donation to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. The Tenet Healthcare Foundation will distribute nearly $30,000 at Tenet hospitals as a part of this year’s National Nurse’s Week and National Hospital & Healthcare Week celebrations.

Sylvan Grove Hospital, part of Tenet Healthcare Corporation, is a 25-bed facility that has been serving the needs of the Butts County since 1962. As a Critical Access Hospital, Sylvan Grove can provide initial inpatient care and treatment for illnesses and injuries. Sylvan Grove Hospital also offers a swing bed program that allows patients who need more rehabilitative care to remain at a hospital rather than being transferred to a long-term care facility. The hospital includes an emergency room and a wide range of outpatient services including physical, occupational and speech therapy, sleep medicine, diagnostic services and pulmonary evaluation programs. To learn more about Sylvan Grove Hospital, visit www.sylvangrovehospital.com.

The ACR, headquartered in Reston, Va., awards accreditation to facilities for the achievement of high practice standards after a peer-review evaluation of the practice. Evaluations are conducted by board-certified physicians and medical physicists who are experts in the field. They assess the qualifications of the personnel and the adequacy of facility equipment. The surveyors report their findings to the ACR’s Committee on Accreditation, which subsequently provides the practice with a comprehensive report.            

The ACR is a national organization serving more than 32,000 diagnostic and interventional radiologists, radiation oncologists, and nuclear medicine and medical physicists with programs focusing on the practice of medical imaging and radiation oncology and the delivery of comprehensive health care services.

“We look forward to continuing to serve the patients who are members of the PHCS network,” said Edward Whitehouse, Administrator of Sylvan Grove Hospital. “Our hospital provides these patients with a wide array of programs and services designed to meet their health care needs including inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation and emergency care.”

Sylvan Grove employees also recognize the importance of early detection. In fact, 68 Sylvan Grove employees signed pledges to either perform their monthly breast self-exam or encourage their spouse or significant other to do so. Pink ribbons have been tied to the trees in front of the hospital to represent their pledge and bring awareness to this message.  

The program, which consists of four one-hour sessions within a two-week period, helps smokers quit and develop coping skills to stay stopped. Led by a trained facilitator, the group sessions address a variety of reasons why people smoke, and give participants tools to overcome obstacles and stay quit forever.

Session one of the first class will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 18 at Sylvan Grove Hospital. The remaining sessions for that class will be held on October 23, 25 and 30. Space is limited. People who are interested are encouraged to register early. To register, call (770) 775-7861, extension 266.

Regardless of how long someone has smoked, quitting smoking can decrease their risk of smoking-related diseases and improve their health. Smoking and tobacco use are linked to cancer, lung disease, heart disease, stroke, emphysema and more.

For the health of its patients, visitors, employees, physicians and volunteers, Sylvan Grove Hospital will have tobacco-free buildings and grounds beginning November 1, 2007.

The health fair will include free health screenings, flu and pneumonia vaccinations, more than 24 health and wellness informational booths and more. Sylvan Grove Hospital will offer the following free health screenings: blood pressure, body fat, bone density, cholesterol, glucose, lung capacity and posture and balance. In addition, the Butts County Health Department will be offering flu shots for $25 and pneumonia shots for a fee. Medicaid and Medicare can be billed or cash payment will be accepted.

“This is a great event for our community. People can get free health screenings and also find out what resources are available in our community,” says Lisa Johnson, Director of Nursing at Sylvan Grove Hospital and one of the event organizers. “The health fair grows in services and attendees each year. More than 300 people attended last year’s event and we expect even more this year.”

For more information and a complete list of health fair participants, visit the Sylvan Grove Hospital web site at www.sylvangrovehospital.com.

Sylvan Grove Hospital, part of Tenet Healthcare Corporation, is a 25-bed facility that has been serving the needs of the Butts County since 1962. As a Critical Access Hospital, Sylvan Grove can provide initial inpatient care and treatment for illnesses and injuries. Sylvan Grove Hospital also offers a swing bed program that allows patients who need more rehabilitative care to remain at a hospital rather than being transferred to a long-term care facility. The hospital includes an emergency room and a wide range of outpatient services including physical, occupational and speech therapy, sleep medicine, diagnostic services and pulmonary evaluation programs. To learn more about Sylvan Grove Hospital, visit www.sylvangrovehospital.com.

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"The purpose of the reunion is fellowship and camaraderie and a reunion with the staff," said Chief Operating Officer of Sylvan Grove Hospital Edward Whitehouse in his welcoming remarks to the group.

Tobacco use can cause diseases such as cancer, lung disease, heart disease, stroke and more. Secondhand smoke also is linked to cancer and heart disease, and according to the U.S. Surgeon General, “there is no risk-free level of exposure to secondhand smoke.”

“By becoming a tobacco-free campus, Sylvan Grove Hospital is reinforcing our commitment to providing a healthy environment for all of our patients, employees and visitors,” says Ed Whitehouse, Administrator of Sylvan Grove Hospital.

Sylvan Grove Hospital has assembled a tobacco-free task force of tobacco users and non-tobacco users to help implement the policy and develop a program to assist employees who use tobacco products and who wish to quit. The team is also working on creating guidelines on how to assist patients who are tobacco users during their hospital stay.

Since 1921, hospitals across the country have been celebrating National Hospital and Healthcare Week and inviting their communities to join in saying “thank you” to the nurses, technicians and many other health care workers who provide quality care throughout the year. National Nurses Week honors the hard work and dedication of nurses and begins on the birth date of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing.  

“Every day, our hospital employees are providing quality care for our patients and their families,” said Ed Whitehouse, Administrator at Sylvan Grove Hospital. “We’re extremely proud of each and every member of our staff and of the contributions they make throughout the year.”  

“You often hear our employees talk about their role as being a calling,” said Whitehouse. “That feeling is shown in every caring touch and the time they spend listening to our patients and families. I’m frequently touched by the compassion and sensitivity they show. National Nurses Week and National Hospital and Healthcare Week allow each of us the chance to say thank you to these extraordinary individuals who care for our family and friends.”  

As part of the annual celebration, the Tenet Healthcare Foundation will honor an outstanding employee at Sylvan Grove Hospital by donating to the charitable organization of the employee’s choice. The Tenet Healthcare Foundation will distribute more than $30,000 at Tenet Hospitals as a part of this year’s National Nurses Week and National Hospital & Healthcare Week celebrations.  

The Siemens Emotion 6 CT system includes software that allows for a full range of scans to be performed quickly and for 3-D examinations of the colon, lung nodules and brain (to assess blood flow in early stroke cases).  

In addition, Sylvan Grove has acquired a new CR (computed radiology) system. This system converts general x-rays into digital images, which can then be viewed by a radiologist and ordering physician within 90 seconds. This allows for STAT exams to be discussed in real-time between a radiologist and physician. Further, the CR system has a reduced report turnaround time from two to three days to less than 24 hours. The faster image processing helps to meet the increasing patient need and benefits physicians who are treating patients.  

“The installation of this equipment is an example of our commitment to developing and enhancing services at Sylvan Grove to benefit our community,” says Ed Whitehouse, Administrator at Sylvan Grove Hospital. “These systems represent a major development for the facility and will benefit the patients we serve.”

The American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) began the QRCR program in 2003 to help consumers identify facilities that are using qualified respiratory therapists to provide respiratory care. Hospitals earning the designation ensure patient safety by agreeing to adhere to a strict set of criteria governing their respiratory care services.

To qualify for the recognition, Sylvan Grove had to provide documentation that it meets the AARC’s guidelines. 

• All respiratory therapists employed at the hospital to deliver bedside respiratory care services are either legally recognized by the state as competent to provide respiratory care services or hold the CRT or RRT credential.
• Respiratory therapists are available 24 hours a day.
• Other personnel qualified to perform specific respiratory procedures and the amount of supervision required for personnel to carry out specific procedures must be designated in writing.
• A physician is designated as the medical director of respiratory care services.  

Hospitals that meet the QRCR requirements provide a level of respiratory care consistent with national standards and guidelines, and have a commitment to quality care. The AARC is a membership organization representing more than 42,000 health professionals involved in respiratory care nationwide. For more information on QRCR designations, visit www.yourlunghealth.org.

For six years, Reeves has worked as a physical therapist at Sylvan Grove Hospital.  During this time, she helped establish the pediatric programs at Sylvan Grove Hospital and Spalding Regional Medical Center, and has helped train many of the new therapists at Sylvan Grove.  While she works with both adult and pediatric patients, Reeves’ passion is for helping children.  Two such patients are James and John Sirah, twin boys who were born with cerebral palsy.  When Reeves first started working with the boys, they were behind in their development and unable to stand or crawl.  Now, after several years of therapy and multiple surgeries, John can walk mostly unassisted and James is able to stand and is beginning to take steps.  The boys’ story, including an interview with Reeves, was featured on the Discovery Channel series Surgery Saved My Life.            

“Our Caregiver Hall of Fame winners represent the best of who we are at Tenet and what we do as health care providers in the communities we serve,” said Trevor Fetter, Tenet’s president and chief executive officer.  “The passion and quality of care provided by dedicated professionals like Savannah serve as an inspiration to us all.”                    

Reeves is just one of three people inducted into this year’s Caregiver Hall of Fame and the only recipient from Tenet’s Southern States region.  This year’s recipients were chosen out of dozens of compelling nominations.  Caregiver Award winners are nominated by their hospital’s leadership team and selected based on their expertise in providing clinical care, examples of extraordinary patient care, and comments from colleagues, patients and their families, and physicians.            

Reeves received her award, which included a tribute video, at a ceremony in Dallas on April 12.