With all of the medical advances over the years, cardiovascular disease remains a problem in the United States.  According to the American Heart Association, cardiovascular disease ranks first among all disease categories in hospital discharges for women.  In addition, nearly 37 percent of all female deaths in America occur from cardiovascular disease [Cardiovascular disease includes coronary heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases].  Unfortunately, many still do not see that cardiovascular disease is a real problem for women.

Until this year, North Fulton Hospital has never had a graphic logo that is unique to the facility.  This change will serve not only to increase the brand recognition in the community but also to energize the employees and physicians who work every day to care for patients at the hospital.

 “This is an exciting time at the hospital,” explains Debbie Keel, CEO of North Fulton Hospital.  “We chose a logo that will hopefully stand out in our community as being warm and inviting.  That is what we are, a friendly place to go when you are in need of high quality medical care.”

The new logo is also supported by a slight change in the name of the hospital. In the same discussions about which graphic to choose, members of the hospital decided the time was right to drop the “Regional” and move to a shorter, more concise name that speaks to the high level of care the hospital provides.  “The word ‘regional’ insinuated that our care was limited to a small area.  This could not be further from the truth.  The new logo and name has helped us to kick off the new year on a high note” Keel explained. 

For more information about the recent logo and name change at North Fulton Hospital, please contact the Public Relations Department at 770-751-2867.  Also visit us online at www.nfultonhospital.com.

North Fulton Hospital (NFH), part of Tenet Georgia, is a 202-bed, acute-care hospital located on Highway 9, Alpharetta Highway, in Roswell.  Opened in 1983, NFH serves North Fulton and surrounding counties through its team of over 1000 employees, 400 staff physicians and 200 volunteers.  NFH is a state-designated Level II trauma center and provides a continuum of services through its centers and programs, including neurosciences, orthopedics, rehabilitation, surgical services, bariatric surgical weight loss, gastroenterology and oncology.  The hospital is fully accredited and also is certified as a Primary Stroke Center by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, the nation’s oldest and largest hospital accreditation agency.

Ten years ago last month, Deb Jeskey, Certified Exercise Physiologist, cut the ribbon on the new Cardiac Rehabilitation Program at North Fulton Hospital.  As the current coordinator of the program, Jeskey also is proud to be one of its originators.

“I along with another nurse and Dr. Thomas Jordan [Cardiologist] started this program over on the second floor of the hospital.  When we began, we had just six patients, but we were glad to help them!” Jeskey explains.  In the ten years that have passed, the program has grown to service now over 100 patients in the newer outpatient setting of the Medical Office Building (adjacent to the hospital).  “We always have a packed house it seems.  All the staff and the patients get so close; we really become a family.”

And a family they remain.  Many of the patients in the Phase III maintenance program have been loyal attendees for years, some of whom have been patients since the beginning.  Similar to a gym membership, this phase of the program allows people to exercise on the various pieces of equipment in the Cardiac Rehabilitation Department.  What makes it so special is that the members are consistently monitored by the Cardiac Rehab Nurses and Exercise Physiologist.  This monitoring can detect potentially dangerous changes in the member’s heart rhythms, allowing for early intervention.

“We’ve been able to catch many issues before they had a chance to become problematic,” Jeskey said.  “Had these patients been in a different exercise setting, without close staff supervision, who knows what could have happened?”

As the program has grown in terms of patient volume, it has also expanded in the area of education.  In addition to the extensively trained cardiac rehab nurses and exercise physiologist, the program also utilizes pharmacists and dietitians to educate patients.  It has also managed to maintain its national certification, something it received two years on the day after it began serving patients.

“This is a wonderful program, largely due to staff who provide care,” Jeskey said.  “Over the course of the last ten years I’ve only had to add people to the team.  We don’t see turnover down here.”

About the program:

North Fulton Hospital's Cardiac Rehabilitation Program is designed for people recovering from various heart issues, including heart attack, bypass, transplant, and chest pain. The two-phase program includes outpatient services that utilize exercise, education, and counseling to help patients with cardiovascular conditions reduce their risks and help prevent further complications from heart disease.

Cardiac Rehabilitation typically begins while the person recovering from the respective heart issue is in the hospital (Phase I). North Fulton Hospital offers an outpatient program for cardiac patients once they have gone home from the hospital. This outpatient program also is appropriate for people who are at high risk for cardiac disease.

The outpatient program is staffed by a team of professionals who are expert at dealing with a patient’s physical and emotional well being. The team works with cardiac patients to design a personalized educational program of recovery that includes exercise, nutrition, weight control, smoking cessation, emotional support, and pharmacy as well as many other areas relevant to rehabilitation.

Phase II: Beginning Outpatient Rehabilitation

The beginning outpatient rehabilitation phase is for individuals who have recently experienced a cardiac event and have been discharged from the hospital. Through a physician’s referral, nurses assess the patient and design a program to meet his or her individual needs. 

A typical patient attends Phase II three times a week for up to 12 weeks, depending on the patient’s needs and insurance plan. During each session, the patient’s heart rate and rhythm are continuously monitored by EKG. Telemetry and blood pressure are frequently checked. Regular progress reports are sent to each patient’s referring physician. Individual education is offered to help the patient and family adopt a heart-healthy lifestyle.

Phase III: Advanced/Maintenance Outpatient Rehabilitation

Phase III is for patients who have completed the Phase II program. It also may be a starting point for those who are at risk for a cardiac event. This phase may continue indefinitely. As in Phase II, patients exercise in a medially supervised setting where blood pressure and heart rates are monitored at each exercise session, and an EKG is monitored monthly.

The Cardiac Rehabilitation Program is certified by the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation. Most insurance plans will cover all or part of the cost of cardiac rehabilitation. Services are located in the Medical Office Building.

North Fulton Hospital (NFH), part of Tenet Georgia, is a 202-bed, acute-care hospital located on Highway 9, Alpharetta Highway, in Roswell.  Opened in 1983, NFH serves North Fulton and surrounding counties through its team of over 1000 employees, 400 staff physicians and 200 volunteers.  NFH is a state-designated Level II trauma center and provides a continuum of services through its centers and programs, including neurosciences, orthopedics, rehabilitation, surgical services, bariatric surgical weight loss, gastroenterology and oncology.  The hospital is fully accredited and also is certified as a Primary Stroke Center by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, the nation’s oldest and largest hospital accreditation agency.

For more information about the Cardiac Rehabilitation Program at North Fulton Hospital, call 770-751-2785, or visit www.northfultonregional.com/rehab.

In 2005, he was appointed Assistant Professor of Medicine at Emory and as Director of the Hepatology Clinic at the Atlanta Veterans Administration (VA) Medical Center. He was appointed GI Fellowship Associate Director at Emory in 2008 and was named 'Attending of the Year' in the medical school's Division of Digestive Diseases.

In his role as an Assistant Professor and GI Fellowship Associate Director at Emory University School of Medicine, Dr. Obideen has lectured frequently on a variety of gastrointestinal issues to medical students, residents, and fellows and has spoken at several GI conferences and meetings. His clinical and academic activities focused on pancreatobiliary, liver, and colon diseases as well as advanced therapeutic endoscopy.

Dr. Obideen has actively participated in a number of clinical research projects and has authored and co-authored numerous articles, which have appeared in several publications including Practical Gastroenterology, Digestive Diseases and Sciences, Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology Journal, and The Journal of Virology.

In addition to his medical board certifications, Dr. Obideen holds a National Board of Nutrition Support Certification (NBNSC). He is a member of the American College of Gastroenterology, the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy and the American Society of Nutrition Support

For more information about Dr. Obideen and other members of North Fulton Regional Hospital’s medical staff, please call 770-751-2600 or visit www.northfultonregional.com and select the “Find a Physician” tab. 

North Fulton Regional Hospital (NFRH), part of Tenet Georgia, is a 202-bed, acute-care hospital located on Highway 9, Alpharetta Highway, in Roswell.  Opened in 1983, NFRH serves North Fulton and surrounding counties through its team of over 1000 employees, 400 staff physicians and 200 volunteers.  NFRH is a state-designated Level II trauma center and provides a continuum of services through its centers and programs, including neurosciences, orthopedics, rehabilitation, surgical services, bariatric surgical weight loss, gastroenterology and oncology.  The hospital is fully accredited and also is certified as a Primary Stroke Center by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, the nation’s oldest and largest hospital accreditation agency.

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After obtaining her Medical Degree and MBBS Degree from the Medical College of Calcutta, one of the most prestigious and pioneer medical schools in India, Dr. Nandi came to the U.S. for a residency program in New York.  She completed an Internal Medicine Residency at Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center in New York and became Board Certified in 2005.

Dr. Nandi went on to complete a Geriatrics Fellowship at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta.  In 2006 she became Board Certified in Geriatric Medicine.

Dr. Nandi has special interest in dealing with Geriatric issues, including: Dementia, Depression, Cognitive and Movement disorders, and Incontinence, among others.  In addition to English, she also speaks the Indian languages Bangla and Hindi.

For more information about Dr. Nandi’s practice and North Fulton Regional Hospital’s medical staff, please visit www.northfultonregional.com or call 770-751-2600.

North Fulton Regional Hospital (NFRH), part of Tenet Georgia, is a 202-bed, acute-care hospital located on Highway 9, Alpharetta Highway, in Roswell.  Opened in 1983, NFRH serves North Fulton and surrounding counties through its team of over 1000 employees, 400 staff physicians and 200 volunteers.  NFRH is a state-designated Level II trauma center and provides a continuum of services through its centers and programs, including neurosciences, orthopedics, rehabilitation, surgical services, bariatric surgical weight loss, gastroenterology and oncology.  The hospital is fully accredited and also is certified as a Primary Stroke Center by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, the nation’s oldest and largest hospital accreditation agency.

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“As the leader of a hospital, it is my duty to ensure that we are setting an example in the community,” North Fulton Regional Hospital CEO Debbie Keel explained.  “We can’t just talk about good health; we have to go a step further and show that we are practicing what we preach.”

           While the hospital has had plans to become tobacco free for several months, the public announcement came just a few days after the City of Roswell banned smoking in all city parks.  This ordinance puts Roswell at the head of the curve in the state of Georgia, which does not have a stat-wide ban on smoking.

North Fulton Regional Hospital received the following designations: Heart Attack, Heart Failure, Adult Pneumonia, and Stroke

“These designations provide evidence of our hospital’s commitment to providing high quality care,” said North Fulton Regional Hospital CEO Debbie Keel.  “Such recognitions demonstrate that we deliver care that exceeds nationally recognized standards for these conditions. I am very proud of our staff and physicians for this well-deserved recognition of their continued dedication to providing high quality care to our patients.” 

The CIGNA designations are based on the hospital’s effectiveness in treating the selected condition or performing the procedure. The designations are based in part of a hospital’s CMS Hospital Compare measures, Leapfrog Patient Safety Measures, mortality and complication rates.

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North Fulton Regional Hospital (NFRH), part of Tenet Georgia, is a 202-bed, acute-care hospital located on Highway 9, Alpharetta Highway, in Roswell.  Opened in 1983, NFRH serves North Fulton and surrounding counties through its team of over 1000 employees, 400 staff physicians and 200 volunteers.  NFRH is a state-designated Level II trauma center and provides a continuum of services through its centers and programs, including neurosciences, orthopedics, rehabilitation, surgical services, bariatric surgical weight loss, gastroenterology and oncology.  The hospital is fully accredited and also is certified as a Primary Stroke Center by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, the nation’s oldest and largest hospital accreditation agency.

“We could not have anticipated the success of these events,” explains Sarah Rucker, one of the employees who oversaw these charitable drives.  “The bake sale alone far exceeded our expectations, and we are so pleased to be able to help North Fulton Community Charities as they approach the holiday season.”

Many employees contributed to the success of these activities, including Amberlee Moore who helped to spread the word and encourage participation (among other things) and Jeannette Wetty who served as the chairperson of the bake sale.

“We started the bake sale at 6:45 am and literally blanketed the entire hospital atrium area with desserts for sale.  You wouldn’t believe all the sweets!” Jeannette said.  “We had dedicated employees and volunteers staffing the event the entire day.  It was a great event.”

The hospital took the baking festivities to another level with the inclusion of the ‘Desert of the Month’ Silent Auction.  The auction of 12 desserts was designed so that each month a different baker would make dessert for the winning bidder. “The desserts were auctioned separately so that the winning bidder could choose the month of their dessert,” Amberlee Moore explained, “but it was structured so that, theoretically, one person could bid on all of them and have a dessert each month.”  The tasty treats to be baked for the winning bidder(s) will include: pumpkin bread, red velvet cake, chocolate raspberry truffles, strawberry cake with cream cheese icing, and many others.

Proceeds from the silent auction and the bake sale will go to assist North Fulton Community Charities as the organization prepares for the busy holiday season.  North Fulton Regional Hospital is proud to be a supporter of such an organization and plans to continue efforts like these in the future.

For more information about North Fulton Regional Hospital’s efforts in the community, please contact the Community Relations Department at 770-751-2665.  Also visit www.northfultonregional.com.

Attendance at the event topped 300 as people from senior living communities, senior centers, and the general community came out in groups.  The first-time event included:

• Free health screenings, such as blood pressure, bone density, body mass index, cholesterol, glucose, and hearing
• Fun activities, such as bingo, arts and crafts, board games, dancing, exercise classes, brain fitness, and more
• Live entertainment
• Backstage tour of the amphitheatre
• lunch

Fact: More than 22,000 African Americans, 12,000 Hispanics, 4,000 Asians, and 2,000 other non-Caucasians are on the national transplant waiting list. More than 3,200 Floridians are listed, more than 1,600 Georgians are listed and more than 500 Puerto Ricans are awaiting their gift of life.

Fact: Our experience shows families are more willing to donate a loved one's organs and tissue if they have talked about it. A family discussion indicating one's wishes helps the families make decisions upon death.

Fact: Donor organs are offered for transplantation based on urgency of medical need, compatible blood type and body size. Political, social or celebrity statuses are not factors.

Fact: Donation is not discussed with a family until all efforts to save a life have failed. Once death has been declared, a family is asked about donating life through organ and/or tissue donation.

Fact: Death occurs in two ways: 1) brain death; and 2) cardiac death. Brain death occurs when a person has an irreversible catastrophic brain injury that causes all brain activity to stop permanently. In such cases, ventilator support can maintain function of the organ systems. However, these functions will cease when the ventilator support is discontinued. Brain death is an accepted medical, ethical and legal principle. Cardiac death is the cessation of heart-lung function. Tissue and bone may be recovered for transplant in either type of death. Organs are usable in cases where brain death occurs.

Media Terminology

Like many aspects of organ and tissue donation and transplantation, terminology is continually updated and changed. Please note the following words or phrases preferred by donor families and transplant recipients.

Deceased - families of organ and tissue donors have asked donor programs and media to refrain from using the term "cadaveric donor." The preferred term is "deceased donor."

Recover/Recovery - out of respect for the heroes who donate life, we ask reporters not to use the term "harvest" when referring to the surgical recovery of lifesaving and enhancing gifts. This word has negative connotations for patients and families. We harvest crops; we recover human organs and tissue for transplant.

Ventilator/ Mechanical Support - A ventilator or mechanical support is the accurate term to use when reporting on organ donation. A deceased donor remains on a ventilator in order to maintain organ function, which enables the sharing of life with others. It is incorrect to state the donor is on life support, as it gives the false impression that an individual remains "alive" so organs can be donated. Deceased donation only occurs when death has been declared and consent has been given.

Donation after Cardiac Death - Everyone has the potential to be a donor. After cardiac death, tissue may be donated for transplantation. In some instances a person may donate organs after cardiac death has occurred. This may happen if the patient has suffered devastating and unrecoverable brain damage resulting in ventilator dependency, the family wanted organ donation to occur, and also decided to withdraw support. Death occurs from cardiac and respiratory arrest and the patient is pronounced. Following death, organ recovery could proceed.

The Discovery LS combines a sophisticated, positron emission tomography (PET) system, the GE Advance^™ NXi, a computed tomography (CT) scanner, the GE LightSpeed^™. “This is an exciting new development in the physician’s detection and diagnosis of cancer,” said Judy Over, Director of Radiology at North Fulton Regional Hospital. “Combining PET and CT into one exam gives doctors two crucial pieces of information to help them prescribe the best course of treatment for their patients.”

A PET scan detects changes in cellular function – how cells are utilizing nutrients like sugar and oxygen. Areas with a high degree of metabolic activity have a greater chance of being cancerous. A CT scan allows doctors to see the internal structures within the human body. Together a PET/CT scan allows doctors to view metabolic activity and pinpoint where abnormal lesions are located so that they can target the disease.

“In addition to the clinical advantages, offering patients a combined PET/CT scan can reduce the amount of time they will have to spend undergoing multiple procedures,” according to North Fulton Regional Hospital Oncology Coordinator Lori Hall. “The Discovery LS gives clinicians both metabolic and anatomic information in one 30-minute scan.”

The GE Discovery LS is manufactured by GE Medical Systems of Waukesha, Wisconsin. GE Medical Systems is a global leader in medical information and technology. Since 1997, GE has invested nearly $50 million in the development of the Discovery LS and $80 million in research and development of the LightSpeed CT and Advance NXi PET platforms. GE Medical Systems used Six Sigma customer-driven quality standards to study the clinical needs of customers and create a product to meet those needs.

For more information about this new technology or any other advances in the area of Oncology Services, please call 770-751-2867.