Vim & Vigor - Spring 2014 - Gwinnett Medical Center - (Page 2)

Phil's Feature Safety on the Field and Off We're doing all we can to treat concussions properly C ompared with when I was growing up in the 1960s, kids today are introduced to organized sports at a much younger age. Furthermore, competition is fierce. And participating in sports becomes a huge part of their lives as they reach their teens. When I was a teen, if a student-athlete suffered a concussion, he or she was told to shake it off. But today, it's different. We now know that even though the athlete might look fine, he or she can have a variety of debilitating symptoms. To educate the community and to serve athletes, we have recently opened the Concussion Institute at Gwinnett Medical Center-Duluth. As the first of its kind in the Southeast, the institute is based on a model that practices a multifaceted approach to concussion injuries and sports rehabilitation-all under one roof. Why are we taking concussions so seriously? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury (TBI) caused by a bump, blow or jolt to the head that can change the way your brain normally works. Almost half a million emergency department visits for TBI are made annually by children 14 years old and younger. Many who are affected by concussions can suffer from symptoms ranging from chronic headaches to dizziness to depression, as well as difficulties with new learning and performance in the classroom. Furthermore, if the concussion isn't treated properly, and a second concussion happens, the symptoms can be permanent, even resulting in death. When kids, or even adults, are suffering from a concussion, travel is difficult at best. However, with the Concussion Institute at GMC-Duluth offering best practices for concussion management, patients no longer have to travel to multiple offices for treatment. Such coordinated, integrated care is critical to individuals who have concussions. But it's beyond the care that we see a real opportunity for improvement. Our goal is for additional partnerships with schools, coaches and parents across metro Atlanta to educate everyone on the signs and symptoms of concussions, and to encourage our young athletes to speak up. Through these partnerships, both on and off the field, we will help our student-athletes return to the game and classroom as quickly, and as safely, as possible. Philip R. Wolfe, FACHE President and CEO 2 SPRING 2 014 Gwinnett Medical center President and chief executive Officer Philip R. Wolfe Gwinnett Health System Board of directors Carlton Buchanan, MD; Renee Byrd-Lewis; Keith Carnes, MD; Jay Desai, MD; Carolyn Hill; L.C. Johnson; J. Michael Levengood; Tom Martin; Miles H. Mason III, MD; David McCleskey, Chairman; William McGann; Charles Oglesby; Manfred Sandler, MD; Wayne Sikes; Jeff Wages; Philip R. Wolfe Vim & Vigor Managing editor Aaron McKevitt Vim & Vigor assistant Managing editor Lisa L. Stauffer editorial Board Abbey Brown, Kelli Massey, Amy Motteram, Keyonda Noel, Beth Okun, Dolores Ware PrOductiOn Editor-in-Chief: Sally Kilbridge Editors: Erin Feeney, Matt Morgan, Ellen Olson, Tom Weede Copy Editor: C.J. Hutchinson Chief Art Director: Tami Rodgers Art Directors: Andrea Heser, Rod Karmenzind, Kay Morrow Senior Production Manager: Laura Marlowe Special Projects Coordinator: Jenny Babich Imaging Specialist: Dane Nordine Production Technology Specialists: Julie Chan, Sonia Fitzgerald VP/Business Intelligence Group: Patrick Kehoe Postal Affairs & Logistics Director: Joseph Abeyta VP/Client Services & Strategy: Paul Peterson Account Managers: Carey Ballard, Annika Honkanen, Lauren Keeton, Gerry Kubek, Kirsten Markson, Mendy Metcalf, Barbara Mohr, Ryan Smeets adMiniStratiOn Chief Executive Officer: Matthew J. Petersen Chief Operating Officer: Fred Petrovsky EVP, Healthcare Sales: Chad Rose, 888-626-8779 Chief Client Officer: Beth Tomkiw VP/Content: Jeff Ficker Creative Director: Marc Oxborrow Vim & Vigor Founder: J. Barry Johnson Chairman Emeritus: Preston V. McMurry Jr. Gwinnett Medical Center 678-312-1000 1000 Medical Center Blvd., Lawrenceville, GA 30046 gwinnettmedicalcenter.org If you wish to be removed from the mailing list, please tear off the shipping label and mail it to Remove Me, PO Box 17910, Phoenix, AZ 85011, or go to acd.mcmurry.com. Vim & Vigor,TM Spring 2014, Volume 30, Number 1, is published quarterly by McMurry/TMG, LLC, 1010 E. Missouri Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85014, 602-3955850. Vim & VigorTM is published for the purpose of disseminating healthrelated information for the well-being of the general public and its subscribers. The information contained in Vim & VigorTM is not intended for the purpose of diagnosing or prescribing. Please consult your physician before undertaking any form of medical treatment and/or adopting any exercise program or dietary guidelines. Vim & VigorTM does not accept advertising promoting the consumption of alcohol or tobacco. Copyright © 2014 by McMurry/ TMG, LLC. All rights reserved. Subscriptions in U.S.: $4 for one year (4 issues). Single copies: $2.95. For subscriptions and address changes, write: Circulation Manager, Vim & Vigor,TM 1010 E. Missouri Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85014. http://www.gwinnettmedicalcenter.org http://www.gwinnettmedicalcenter.org http://acd.mcmurry.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Spring 2014 - Gwinnett Medical Center

Vim & Vigor - Spring 2014 - Gwinnett Medical Center
Contents
Phil’s Feature
Staying Ahead of Concussions
The Recovery Zone
Occupational Hazards
The New Rules of Play
Shopping for Two
Back to Basics
Burn, Baby, Burn
Angelina Jolie
Rock Your Health
Breaking Up with Salt
Disgusting! (or Not?)
Virtual Health
PrimeTime Health
Ready, Set, Run!
You Can Change the World
Out of the White Coat
Transforming Healthcare

Vim & Vigor - Spring 2014 - Gwinnett Medical Center