Advisory Board Member Bill Atkinson Awarded High 5 Star

At the September 19 meeting of the Northwest Medical Center Advisory Board, CEO Bob Henger presented the hospital's "High 5 Star" award to Bill Atkinson for his long-standing support and service to the Winfield Hospital. As he presented the award Mr. Henger said, "I can’t list the hours, thought or actions Bill Atkinson has given to the preservation of Northwest Medical Center and I know he is a humble man that seeks no human applause, but he so represents the meaning of this award in going beyond the ordinary and expected performance and demonstrating exceptional service and compassion for this hospital."

The "High 5 Star" award is presented to those who go above and beyond their ordinary, every day duties and provide exceptional service to our patients and families and to the hospital.

Congratulations Bill Atkinson and thank you for your dedication to Northwest Medical Center!

Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) and Wound Care

One in every 8 Americans older than 60 years of age have PAD. In all, PAD affects as many as 12 million people in the United States. Slightly more men than women have the disease. Due to the prevalence of PAD, September was named Peripheral Arterial Disease Awareness Month by the US Senate in 2007.

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is a condition that develops when the arteries that supply blood to the arms or legs become completely or partially blocked as a result of atherosclerosis. There are many possible side effects of atherosclerosis including angina and heart attacks if the coronary arteries are involved; strokes and transient ischemic attacks if the carotid and vertebral arteries are involved; and claudication, non-healing leg ulcers and critical limb ischemia if the lower extremity arteries are involved. Common risk factors include high cholesterol, smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes, atherosclerosis and age. Smokers are four times at greater risk, African Americans are three times as likely to have PAD, and one in every three people over the age of 50 with diabetes is likely to have the disease.

PAD is diagnosed by healthcare professionals who review medical history and tobacco use, and perform physical exams and diagnostic tests. An ankle-brachial index (ABI) test may be performed, as well. An ABI test is painless and easy, and involves a comparison between a blood pressure reading in the ankles and a blood pressure reading in the arms. An ABI can help diagnose PAD, but it cannot identify which arteries are narrowed or blocked. A Doppler ultrasound test may be done to see which artery or arteries are blocked.

For patients with chronic wounds and their healthcare providers, PAD poses particular problems. Chronic toe and foot sores are common in people with PAD, as are cramping, numbness, weakness or heaviness in the leg muscles. However, many patients with PAD do not experience symptoms. That’s why the Northwest Wound Care Center® performs tests for PAD, treats chronic wounds which may have underlying conditions of PAD and counsels patients on how to manage PAD.

Read more: Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) and Wound Care

Our Hospital is Vital to Our Community

Below is a reprint of an article that recently ran in the Journal Record newspaper. The article was written by Bob Henger, Northwest Medical Center CEO and it outlines some of the challenges faced by rural hospitals, but more importantly, explains the tremendous value our hospital provides to the community and the importance of the hospital's survival.

The Economic Value of Rural Hospitals
By Bob Henger, CEO Northwest Medical Center

The Alabama Daily News Digest recently featured an article by columnist Matthew Stokes. In the article he writes about “The Hamilton Project,” a significant initiative by the Brookings Institution. The project examines the vitality index of every county in America, weighing factors including median household income, poverty rate, unemployment rate, life expectancy, home vacancy rate and prime-age unemployment to population ratio. To no one’s surprise, almost every county in Alabama ranks low on this vitality index.

The article goes on to say that rural industries leave an area for a variety of reasons and, in time, rural residents with higher degrees and training leave the area as well due to a lack of job opportunities and the amenities offered by larger cities. When they leave, they take with them their money, civic energy, organizational know-how and leadership. Put crudely, this phenomenon causes many of our rural areas to suffer from a significant brain drain.

Read more: Our Hospital is Vital to Our Community