Lourdes Health Talk

Nearly 15 million Americans have Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), and it is the third most common cause of death in the U.S. Although there's no cure, there are many things you can do to slow the progression, including learning more about it. Candace Bromley discusses what you need to know about COPD.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that flu activity is now widespread across the United States. CDC officials say they cannot be certain how severe this season will be, but reports of severe illness and hospitalizations have been received.Emergency Department physicians at Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center say there has been an influx of patients seeking relief from influenza symptoms.In this very important podcast, Dr. Jenice Forde-Baker, Assistant Director, Emergency Department at Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center, explains that it is not too late to get the flu vaccine and reiterates the importance of using some common-sense precautions to help prevent the flu.

Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center is among a select group of hospitals nationwide recognized for raising organ and tissue donation awareness in a national campaign sponsored by The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Lourdes was awarded the campaign's highest tier—Platinum Level.In recognition of organ donor awareness and to honor all organ donors, Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center will light the hospital's iconic 30-foot, 15-ton statue of the Blessed Mother green each time a patient is having an organ transplant at the hospital.In this inspiring segment, Christine Palms joins the show to sort through the myths and misconceptions about organ, eye, and tissue donation that might prevent someone from signing up. If everyone knew the true facts about donation, so many more lives might be saved.

Regenerative medicine is fast becoming an area of medicine with the potential to help heal damaged tissues and organs. It can also possibly offer solutions and hope today for people who have conditions that many thought before were beyond repair.Amniotic placental tissue injection is a treatment to help resolve acute tendon injuries, and is showing promise for regenerative effects on injured, painful joints, and back pain without the need for drugs or surgery.Here to discuss Placenta Allograft for regeneration of tissue, is Thomas Plut, DO. He is a sports medicine specialist with the Orthopedic program at Lourdes Health System.

Deciding to have Bariatric Surgery is a major life decision. You can best prepare by knowing the benefits and risks of surgery. Bariatric surgery has evolved and improved over recent years making important strides toward even better results with each advance. Experience is critical when considering any type of surgery. That is why it is important to know that Lourdes Health System is one of the largest providers of bariatric surgery in southern New Jersey. Our surgeons are experienced with all minimally invasive approaches including gastric sleeve and will work with you to provide the best solution possible for your needs.In this informative segment Harish Kakkilaya, MD, surgeon with the Bariatric Surgery program at Lourdes, discusses how at Lourdes, we will take steps together to help determine if surgery is the right treatment for you.

A woman’s health depends on a lot of factors. Every woman should make time for healthy habits; regular exercise, stress management, eating the right foods, and she should also be scheduling routine health screenings so potential problems can be spotted early. In this informative segment Sherrilyn Parrish, MD, obstetrician and gynecologist at Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center, shares the five most important health screenings every women should have, and that regular health screenings can make keeping tabs on your health much more simple.

Sudden cardiac arrest may not always be so sudden, heart experts say.A recent study has found that cardiac arrest symptoms in men can appear at least a month ahead of time. Signs can include chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, fainting or palpitations.Sudden cardiac arrest differs from a heart attack. Cardiac arrest occurs when electrical impulses in the heart become rapid or chaotic, causing the heart to stop beating. A heart attack happens when the blood supply to the heart is blocked.Joining the show to discuss early heart attack symptoms, sudden cardiac arrest, and what you can do to prevent this from happening, is John J. Finley IV, MD, FACC, FSCAI. He is an interventional cardiologist with Lourdes Cardiology.

The life work balance for is tough enough for any parent however, when you are a physician it may seem even more difficult. You have patients to care for that need your expertise, but your children need your time and guidance. How can a parent that is also a doctor find that delicate balance between their patients needs and their family? Here to speak with us about the incredible challenges a parent / physician faces raising a family and having a demanding career, is Dr. Heather Crawford, DO. She is an Obstetrician / Gynecologist at Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center.

According to the Institute on Aging, more than 40 million Americans are age 65+. By 2030, as the last Baby Boomers turn 65, older adults are expected to reach 20 percent of the population. Seniors often prefer to live at home and remain independent, but healthcare needs can sometimes make that difficult. LIFE at Lourdes can help. The LIFE model honors what many seniors want; to stay in familiar surroundings, maintain autonomy and maintain their maximum level of physical, social and cognitive function.In this segment, Curtis Caldwell, Enrollment Specialist for LIFE at Lourdes discusses the five things to know about LIFE at Lourdes.

Each year more than six million Americans are diagnosed with a neurological disorder. In fact, more than 144 million Americans are, or will experience a neurological disorder, and this number is expected to rise as our population ages.At Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center and Lourdes Medical Center of Burlington County, neurologists are available to diagnose and treat a wide variety of neurologic conditions.Here to help us with some signs it may be time to see a neurologist is Sean Hubbard, DO. He is a neurologist and neuro-hospitalist at Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center.

Minor foot problems, such as blisters or cuts, can cause complications if left attended, and even more so in people with diabetes. Good foot health is essential as your feet serve as the foundation for the rest of your body structure. If your feet are painful or not mechanically sound, this can effect the knees, hips and even the lower back. It is important to take good care of your feet. The good news is that you can prevent many foot complications with some simple everyday foot care.Listen in as Joseph V. Donnelly, DPM explains conditions and injuries that can affect the foot, and the importance of taking extra care with chronic conditions such as diabetes.

About 5 million people are diagnosed with heart valve disease each year, according to the American Heart Association. The cardiovascular team at Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center is successfully performing mitral valve repairs using the innovative MitraClip® procedure—a minimally invasive treatment option for people with a severe leak in the mitral valve. The MitraClip® NT system is the world’s first transcatheter mitral valve repair therapy. It provides a proven treatment option for select patients with significant degenerative MR who are too high-risk for open-heart surgery and do not have other treatment options available to them.In this fascinating segment, Dr. Atiq Rehman discusses The MitraClip® procedure and how Lourdes Medical Center is leading the way in advancements for valve repair.

It’s estimated that 78 people a day die from overuse of opioids. Use of these drugs, such as oxycodone, hydrocodone and fentanyl, has skyrocketed in recent years, fueled by pharmaceutical companies and doctors eager to treat patients’ chronic pain and by addicts obtaining them illegally.  According to a recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, more people die of heart and breathing problems caused by opioid use than accidental overdoses.In this segment, Lourdes cardiologist Jason Smith, DO, explains how opiates can be effective for short-term pain relief, but over time, when used improperly or in high doses, opiates can cause dangerous cardiac manifestations, such as irregular heart rhythms, heart attack, stroke or cardiac arrest.

According to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, stroke is the number five cause of death and a leading cause of adult disability in the United States.On average, someone suffers a stroke every 40 seconds; someone dies of a stroke every four minutes; and nearly 800,000 people suffer a new or recurrent stroke each year.Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center, a leading provider for advanced stroke care, was recently designated as a Comprehensive Stroke Center by the New Jersey Department of Health. Lourdes is only one of 13 comprehensive stroke centers in the state to receive this designation.Listen in as Debbie Gillen MSN, explains how comprehensive stroke centers offer the highest level of care, with proven state-of-the-art technology, specialized testing, highly technical procedures and other interventions.

Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center has been a pioneer in providing the highest-quality care to high-risk mothers and their babies. Our Lady of Lourdes has among the lowest Cesarean delivery (C-section) rates for first-time mothers in New Jersey. Listen is as Heather Crawford, DO , discusses the best tips for a healthy pregnancy and delivery and how at Our Lady of Lourdes, mothers come to us-many of them time and again-for a simple reason, they know that on their special day, there are just a few people surrounding them who will make the difference between a trip to the hospital… and an experience to cherish forever.

According to the American Cancer Society, more than 40,000 adults will be diagnosed with primary liver cancer this year. More commonly, cancer will metastasize to the liver from another part of the body, such as the colon. It's estimated that more than 135,000 people will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2017. Roughly 50 percent of people with colorectal cancer will develop liver metastases.A minimally invasive radiation treatment for liver tumors is now available at Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center. Yttrium-90 (Y-90) radioembolization targets cancer by injecting special beads into the blood vessels feeding the tumor. The beads, called microspheres, deliver a high dose of short-range radiation to the tumor while sparing surrounding healthy tissue. In this segment, Dr. Joseph Broudy discusses this promising new treatment for liver tumors and the treatment options available at Lourdes Health System.

Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center is now one of a few select hospitals in the region to offer a new dime-sized pacemaker that is implanted directly in the heart. Normally, the pacemaker leads are inserted through a vein in the shoulder and placed in the right atrium and right ventricle of the heart. But by placing the leads on an area of the heart called the His-bundle, it can utilize the heart’s natural electrical pathways and create better synchronization between the bottom chambers of the heart.Listen as Dr. Devender Akula, an electrophysiologist at Lourdes, discusses that through new placement, and new technology, it is an exciting time to be at the forefront of innovation.

A new Post Anesthetic Care Unit and hybrid operating suite recently established at Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center is enhancing Lourdes' neurosurgical and cardiovascular surgery capabilities. The new facility combines the advanced imaging capabilities of a cardiac catheterization laboratory with the environment of a traditional operating room.Listen as Dr Erol Veznedaroglu, internationally renowned neurosurgeon, discusses how this New Hybrid Lab at Lourdes enhances surgical capabilities to better serve the community.

Whether you’re just someone who is keeping fit to stay healthy or you’re an athlete looking to improve for your sport, personal training can take your fitness game to the next level. Getting back into the gym can seem daunting if you don’t know where to start, but it’s a lot easier than you might think. Listen as Tina Ermert Bortner, BA, ACE, Community Health Educator & Work Site Wellness Coordinator at Lourdes Health System, shares easy-to-follow fitness tips, tools and tech from leading experts.

The aging process can complicate the diagnosis and treatment of unique mental health needs that older adults sometimes face. Lourdes’ Senior Behavioral Health Program helps older adults and their families understand and learn to manage these challenges.Patients benefit from customized treatment plans developed by a multidisciplinary team consisting of a psychiatrist, medical physicians, social workers, nurses and occupational and recreational therapists. The program provides medical assessment and intensive psychiatric and physiological therapeutic intervention in a safe, structured and supportive environmentListen in as Amy Brennan and Esther Ammon discuss how the new senior behavioral health program at Lourdes can benefit an elderly loved one.