IVER HEALTH SYSTEM

JULY 2018

DIABETES:You Could Be at RiskNinety percent of people with prediabetes don’t know it. Are you one of them?

Although the term “prediabetes” has existed for about 15 years, many people don’t know what it is and, more importantly, how to stop it.

Having prediabetes means your blood glucose (sugar) level is higher than normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. Without weight loss and moderate physical activity, 10 to 30 percent of people with prediabetes will devel-op type 2 diabetes within five years.

You may have prediabetes and be at risk for type 2 diabetes if you:• Are 45 or older • Are overweight• Are physically active fewer than three times per

week• Had diabetes while pregnant (gestational diabe-

tes) or gave birth to a baby that weighed more than 9 pounds

• Have a family history of type 2 diabetes• Have high blood pressure

The problem with diabetesDiabetes is a disease that affects how your body turns food into energy. Most of the food you eat is broken down into sugar and released into your bloodstream. Your pancreas makes a hormone called insulin, which lets blood sugar into your body’s cells for use as energy.

Program Helps Reduce Diabetes Risk The Des Moines County Public Health Depart-ment offers a 16-week program for people at risk for diabetes. The National Diabetes Prevention Program provides:• Skills needed to lose weight, be more physically

active and manage stress• A trained lifestyle coach for guidance and

encouragement• On-staff diabetes educator• Support from other participants with the same

goals

“In a CDC study of people at high risk for diabetes, medications reduced progression of prediabetes to diabetes in about 30 percent of participants,” said Great River Medical Center diabetes adviser David Carlson, M.D., Family Med-icine. “Intensive education with lifestyle change reduced progression to diabetes in about 60 percent of participants. There’s no medicine that can come close to that.”

Criteria for the National Diabetes Prevention Program include:• High BMI• High blood sugar• Results from a detailed diabetes risk test

Many health insurance providers cover diabetes education. Potential participants who do not have coverage may apply for financial assistance.

To learn more about the National Diabetes Pre-vention Program, please call 319-753-8290.

Continued on next page Take the “Could You Have Prediabetes?” quiz

Diabetes– continued

If you have diabetes, your body either doesn’t make enough insulin or can’t use the insulin it makes as well as it should. When there isn’t enough insulin or cells stop responding to insulin, too much blood sugar stays in your bloodstream, which can cause serious health problems over time.

Ninety-five percent of people with the disease have Type 2 diabetes. It can lead to: • Blindness• Heart attack• Kidney failure• Loss of toes, feet or legs• Stroke

Symptoms of type 2 diabetes usually don’t ap-pear until the disease is advanced. They include:• Excessive thirst• Frequent urination• Blurred vision• Fatigue• Unexpected weight loss

In 2015, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported diabetes was the sev-enth leading cause of death in the U.S. But a study published in early 2017 indicated diabetes could be the third leading cause of death. It was funded

by the National Institute on Aging at the National Institutes of Health and the National Center for Health Statistics.

What can you do about it?You don’t have to make big changes to prevent or delay diabetes. • Cut back on calories and saturated fat.• If you’re overweight, losing 7 percent of your

total weight can help a lot. That’s 15 pounds for a person who weighs 200 pounds.

• Increase your daily physical activity.

“An overwhelming amount of research shows that after smoking cessation and limiting alcohol consumption, the next biggest thing people can do to improve their health, including their risk for type 2 diabetes, is getting more physical activity,” said Great River Medical Center diabetes adviser David Carlson, MD, Family Medicine. “I think physical activity trumps many medicines we can prescribe.”

Exercising doesn’t mean you have to work out at a gym. Minutes of exercise can be accumulated throughout the day. Begin by parking further from work or stores, and using the stairs instead of the elevator.

Are you one of them?Having prediabetes means your blood glucose (sugar) level is higher than normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. Without weight loss and moderate physical activity, 10 to 30 percent of people with prediabetes will develop type 2 diabetes within five years.

90 percent of people with prediabetes don’t know it.

Brenda Halls, ARNPPrimary CareGreat River QuickCare624 S. Roosevelt Ave., Suite 101Burlington, IA 52601319-768-4320

New ProvidersRyan Deets, MDVascular SurgeryGreat River SurgeonsEastman Plaza, Suite 2021223 S. Gear Ave.West Burlington, IA 52655319-768-4350

Medical degree: University of IowaResidency: University of Iowa

Carrie Helmick, ARNPPrimary CareFamily Planning of Southeast Iowa801 S. Roosevelt Ave., Suite CBurlington, IA 52601319-768-1225

Jordan Gross, MDStarting Wednesday, Aug. 1

Eastman Plaza, Suite 3091223 S. Gear Ave. • West Burlington

www.greatrivereyespecialists.org

Dr. Gross is coming to southeast Iowa from Minnesota. But after earning his undergraduate, graduate and medical degrees at the University of Iowa, he’s a loyal Hawkeye. He enjoys hiking, camping, hunting, boating and golfing. He and his wife have young twin sons.

Accepting patients for Dr. Gross now. Call 319-768-4500.

CIAOF PROVIDING GREAT SERVICE

CAUGHT IN THE ACT

Katlynn Hussey, Klein Center“Katlynn bought an elder her favorite nail polish and came to work on her day off to paint the elder’s nails.”

Chalie Meyer, Healthy Living“Chalie goes above and beyond with healthy lifestyle patients – enthusiasm, compassion, commitment. It is inspiring!”

Andrea Skifstad, Rehabilitation Services“Andrea treated a patient who came at the wrong time when she had a full day.”

Angie McCall, Cardiovascular Care Unit“Angie helped transfer a telephone call to a patient on the Progressive Cardiac Unit. Then she went to the patient’s room to ensure the call was received. “

Michelle Timpe, Family Medicine“Michelle volunteered to work on a Saturday so a coworker could attend the funeral of a patient.”

Stephanie Statler, Nutrition Services“Stephanie is pulling double and sometimes triple duty with the job openings in our department, and she does it with a great attitude.”

Casual DaysEmployees purchase $2 stickers for the opportu-nity to wear jeans to work on designated Fridays. The June casual days and organizations they benefit are:July 13 Great River Friends July 27 Great River Hospice House Cubs vs. Cardinals – Employees can wear

a shirt supporting their favorite team.

LettersThank you for the casual day donation to Des Moines County Special Needs Foundation.

— Sara DittnerExecutive Secretary

Thank you for your support of Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation and for making a difference in the lives of children with cancer. Your charitable gift of $495 will help fund important projects looking for better treatments and cures for all childhood cancers.

Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation has raised more than $150 million to fund 800 childhood cancer research projects at 135 top hospitals and institutions in the U.S. and Canada … Thank you for joining us in the fight for childhood cancer, one cup at a time.

— RachelMarie McLaughlinDevelopment and Donor Relations Specialists

EventsFirst Friday ShareA support program for people who have experi-enced the loss of a loved one.

5:30 p.m. Friday, July 6Great River Health System-Hospice House

Group Diabetes Classes10 a.m. to noon ThursdaysBeginning July 12

2:30 to 4:30 p.m. MondaysBeginning July 16

Stroke Support Group10 to 11 a.m.Wednesday, July 18Blackhawk Room

Prenatal ClassesChildbirth Prep4-week series6:30 to 9 p.m.Beginning Thursday, July 5Great River Medical CenterRegistration is required.

Big Brother, Big Sister Class9:30 to 11 a.m.Saturday, July 7Great River Medical Center Registration is required.

Pre- and Postnatal Exercise Workshops8:30 to 10 a.m. (first and second trimester)10:30 a.m. to noon (third trimester and postnatal)Saturday, July 28Registration is required.

Prenatal Breastfeeding Class6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 31Great River Medical CenterRegistration is required.

Purses Bought PetalsProceeds from the Gift Shop’s Purses for Petals sale earlier this month bought flowers and shrubs for Great River Medical Center’s courtyard. Plant Operations summer interns helped with the work.

Three services at Great River Medical Center recently received reaccreditation. Accreditation provides independent, objective verification of quality and enhances credibility.

Great River Sleep Disorders Center was granted five-year reaccreditation from the American Acad-emy of Sleep Medicine (AASM). Sleep testing helps identify the cause of restless sleep, such as chronic obstruction sleep apnea, insomnia, narcolepsy and restless leg syndrome.

Great River Sleep Disorders Center also received reaccreditation for out-of-center sleep testing, which allows limited sleep studies to be performed in the homes of people who meet specific criteria. This also is a five-year accreditation.

The Laboratory Accreditation Board of American Board of Registration of Electroencephalographic (EEG) and Evoked Potential Technologists renewed its five-year accreditation of EEG services, which are provided through Great River Sleep Disorders Center.

EEG testing helps physicians diagnose a variety of neurological problems, such as:• Degenerative brain disease• Headaches• Organic causes of psychiatric symptoms• Seizure disorders• Stroke

Great River Medical Center EEG technologists

also are certified in intraoperative spinal-cord monitoring. They record and study the electric activity of the brain and nervous system during surgery to spot changes in brain, spinal-cord and peripheral-nerve function to help prevent irrevers-ible damage.

Referral from a health care provider is required for sleep studies and EEG testing. For more infor-mation, click HERE.

Sleep Disorders Center and EEG Services Reaccredited

•

Tips for Better SleepYou can take steps to improve your sleep habits. First, you need to give yourself enough time to sleep. With enough sleep each night, you may find that you’re hap-pier and more productive during the day.

To improve your sleep habits, it also may help to:• Go to bed and wake up at the same time

every day.• Avoid caffeine, especially in the afternoon

and evening.• Avoid nicotine.• Exercise regularly, but don’t exercise too

late in the day.• Avoid alcoholic drinks before bed.• Avoid large meals and beverages late at

night.• Don’t take a nap after 3 p.m.• Relax before bed by, for example, taking

a bath, reading or listening to relaxing music.

• Keep the temperature in your bedroom cool.

• Get rid of distractions such as noises, bright lights, and a TV or computer in the bedroom. Don’t use your cellphone or tablet just before bed.

• Get enough sunlight exposure during the day.

• Don’t lie in bed awake. If you can’t sleep for 20 minutes, get up and do something relaxing.

• See your health care provider if you have continued trouble sleeping. You may have a sleep disorder, such as insomnia or sleep apnea.

Source: MedlinePlus.gov

A free educational series Session 7:

Joint Replacementand Alternatives

Speakers:Theron Jameson, DO, and Lia Kempker, PA-C

Great River Orthopaedic Specialists

5:30 p.m. Thursday, July 26Blackhawk Room – Lower level, Wellness Plaza

1401 W. Agency Rd., West Burlington

Register online or call 319-768-3300 by Tuesday, July 24.

EMPLOYEEPROFILE

Kelsey LohrCertified Nurse AssistantAcute Care Center

Start date:Feb. 5, 2018

What a typical day looks like for me:I check vital signs and blood sugars, give baths and provide other patient care. I also help make patients more comfortable to help relieve pain.

What I wanted to be when I grew up:A traveling nurse. I am finishing prerequisite cours-es and hope to start nursing school next year.

Hometown / Where I live now:Burlington

Family:My parents are Bethany and Andrew Lohr. I have two sisters and one brother. I have a 2-year-old daughter, Rebekah.

Things I enjoy:Singing and outdoor things like camping and hiking

People would be surprised to know …That I can sing. I like a little bit of everything – pop, oldies, country.

Given a chance, I would be this person:Someone who travels the world

Who I root for:Hawkeyes

The most recent app I’ve downloaded:Marco Polo. My grandma started me on it.

My biggest achievement:Finishing high school and continuing on to college

Why I like working at Great River Health System:I like the fast pace. There are more patient expe-riences here than at my previous job. I like the people I work with, too.