| July 1, 2009 | Peter Phelps Senior Manager Marketing Services (269) 966-8131 |
BCHS emergency director to discuss new perspectives in medicineThe local emergency department is not a place where
you should go to have a cold treated. But if you have
a life- or limb-threatening illness or injury, call 9-1-1
or go to the ED immediately. Knowing the difference is
sometimes confusing which means that more often than
not, patients go to the ED anyway, which often causes
more than a few headaches for them and the hospital staff. The program, which is free to the public, is sponsored through Senior Health Partners in coordination with Battle Creek Health System. A lunch will be served at 11:30 a.m. followed by Dr. Fuller's presentation at noon. Seating is limited. Reservations can be made by calling the class/seminar registration line at (877) GO2-BCHS (877-462-2247). The hospital's goal is not only to see, treat, and get the patient to the right place via admissions, transfer, or discharge, but also to do that in a rapid and caring manner that exceeds the patient's expectations. The challenge for all emergency departments is to create a culture where the patient feels they are being treated like family. "It is estimated that nearly half of the 90 million visits to the emergency department are not true emergencies," says Dr. Fuller. "That means that over 40 million people not only paid more for routine care then they would have at a physician's office or urgent care center, but they also probably wasted a lot of time because emergency departments are not set up to care for routine illnesses. "If that were not enough, emergency departments do not work on a first-come, first-served basis as many people mistakenly believe. They use a triage or sorting system of evaluation so that critical cases, such as people suffering from heart attacks or injuries from serious accidents or violent crimes, are treated first. Everyone else usually has to wait before being seen." Senior Health Partners, a community partnership of Battle Creek Health System, CentraCare, Region 3B Area Agency on Aging, and Summit Pointe, works to expand wellness and educational offerings to senior citizens in Calhoun and surrounding counties. Battle Creek Health System, sponsored by two parent organizations--Trinity Health (the fourth largest Catholic health system in the U.S. with 21 hospitals, 9 nursing homes, 19 senior house facilities, 8 home health care agencies, and 4 hospices in Michigan alone) and BCHS Community Partners, is accredited by the Joint Commission. Battle Creek Health System is a recipient of the 2008 HealthGrades Orthopaedic Surgery Excellence Award(tm). HealthGrades is a leading health care information company that provides objective 'report card' ratings nationwide. BCHS provides excellent health care for the community and promotes wellness for the whole person with access and compassion for all. For the latest medical information, visit the BCHS web site at www.bchealth.com or call the BCHS Marketing Department at (269) 966-8132. -30-
About the Presenter: Dr. Gregory Fuller received his medical degree from Des Moines University. He completed his internship and residency at Peninsula Medical Center in Ormond Beach, Florida. Dr. Fuller is board-certified in emergency medicine and in family practice. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians, the Association of Emergency Physicians, the American College of Emergency Physicians, and the American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians. He is also a Diplomate with the American Academy of Pain Management. Dr. Fuller was a member of medical/trauma teams in Haiti and Afghanistan and received two awards - the Award of Service from the Veterinary Association of New York City and the NYC Veterinary Association Ground Zero Service Award, both for K-9 work following the attack on the World Trade Center towers on September 11, 2001. He currently serves as a senior flight surgeon for the Federal Aviation Physicians Administration.
|
|
