Carilion Clinic: April 2009

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Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Blast From the Past - Public Service Announcements From the 1976 Swine Flu Outbreak



(Note - there is no vaccine for the current swine flu virus)

Being Proactive - Health Care Providers Prepare for the Possibility of Swine Flu Updated With Local Media Coverage

Click below to watch media coverage of local Swine Flu preparations.



Carilion Clinic is tracking the flu and broadcasting regular updates on Twitter. Visit our Twitter page to check out the latest information. Follow us to keep up-to-date as the situation develops.


Members of the media listen to Dr. Stephanie Harper, Director of the Roanoke and Alleghany Health Districts, addresses the media at a briefing Monday afternoon at the Roanoke City Health Department. Below, Carilion Clinic Section Chief for Infectious Disease speaks with WDBJ's Susan Bahorich



Monday, April 27, 2009

Carilion Clinic In-Patient Rehabilitation Moves to Carilion Roanoke Community Hospital

Carilion Clinic Rehabilitation successfully moved all its patients to the new in-patient rehabilitation unit at Carilion Roanoke Community Hospital. The patients were safely moved yesterday, and the new unit is up and running.
Click below for WDBJ's coverage of the unit's open house last Friday, including an interview with Unit Director Stimis Smith, who talks about why this change is important for patients.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Working Mother Magazine Names Carilion Clinic Employee “Working Mother of the Year”


Working Mother magazine celebrated its 30th birthday by honoring 30 “Working Mothers of the Year.” Winners of this award are examples of extraordinary mothers who balance career, motherhood and self development with grace and determination. Recipients were nominated by their spouses, employers, children and friends, and selected by the Working Mother editorial team. Carilion Clinic is proud to announce that Larissa Sellers, a pediatric nurse from Carilion Clinic Children’s Hospital, was among the 30 winners of this impressive award (along with First Lady Michelle Obama!). Larissa works full-time as a nurse while also attending school full-time. Additionally, she is the president of her class and the room mother for her daughter’s class.

Monday, April 20, 2009

Life-Guard 10, Bell 412 Farewell Media Coverage

Wow, what a great response from the public and the media last Friday and Saturday as we celebrated the last 19 years of flying in our Bell 412 helicopter. Thanks to all who participated and gave the helicopter an appropriate send-off!

Check out the 360-degree panorama photography that Roanoke Times Multimedia Editor Seth Gitner posted online (click to visit the site). You can see Seth at work in the photo below.



Here is a compilation of Friday's television news coverage of the the event and the Bell 412's retirement. Below that, click to watch one of the Bell 412's last take-offs.



Here's what it's all about - look at the smile on this little guy!

Friday, April 17, 2009

A Fond Farewell to the Bell 412 - UPDATE - Video of Event Posted



For the past 19 years, the white and blue, twin-engine Bell 412 helicopter has been an icon in Western Virginia skies, transporting nearly 10,000 patients as Carilion Life-Guard 10. later this month, the Bell 412 will be replaced with a new helicopter.


The new helicopter brings significant upgrades in flight safety technology, and we're excited about that - but its still bittersweet because we'll miss the 412 and her distinctive "whomp-whomp-whomp" rotor sounds.


Today (Friday April 17th) and tomorrow, we'll hold a public retirement send for the Bell 412, which will be refurbished by its owner, Air Methods, and continue serving as a civilian transport helicopter.



More about the new helicopter coming next week!

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Hard Time Swallowing? Relatively New Disease on the Rise in the Region

Eosinophilic Esophogatis is hard to say, and hard to swallow, literally.
The disease, also called "EE", is an allergic reaction that occurs in the esophagus, The disease makes it difficult to swallow, and can have serious, long-term consequences.

While it affects people of all ages, in recent years, the condition has been diagnosed in more than a hundred children in our region. Click below for recent coverage of the condition by WDBJ health reporter Joy Sutton, including an interview with Carillon Clinic Pediatric Gastroenterologist Dr. Michael Hart and one of his patients.

Monday, April 6, 2009

Panoramic View of Riverside Center Development

I was taking pictures from the top of the Riverside Center parking garage the other day and thought I'd experiment with the "panorama" feature of my digital camera. Click the image above to enlarge. The Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine is under construction on the left. Riverside 1, Home of Luna Innovations, Virginia Tech Riverside and VTC's temporary offices, is at the center. On the right, the Carilion Clinic outpatient facility - medical specialists will begin moving in by the fall. This facility features the largest "Green roof" in the Roanoke region.

Friday, April 3, 2009

Heart Attack Patient in the Right Place at the Right Time

If there's a "right place" to have a heart attack, Ed McCurdy found it.
He was exercising at the Botetourt Athletic Club when it happened. Click below for the story that aired on WSLS. Its also a great reminder to pay attention to the warning signs of a heart attack!