SEMed fights disease by encouraging wellness

Pictured: Shelly Thompson, Director of Wellness SEMed, and Shana Fair, Byesville Rotary program chair.

Shelly Thompson, Director of Wellness at South Eastern Med, explained to Byesville Rotary that hospitals do more than treat people who are sick. She said, “South Eastern Med has a mission to look at the needs of the community it serves every three years.” To identify needs, SEMed surveyed Guernsey County in 2013 and again in 2016.

Thompson stated SEMed identified 4 areas on which to focus. The first area is substance abuse and mental health. Currently, the hospital is developing a program—CHOICES—which will enable staff to provide resources to residents needing help with substance abuse and mental health issues.

The second area of focus is cancer. This disease affects 20% of the population in Guernsey County. This rate is higher than state and national cancer rates. However, Thompson pointed out that there is good news for cancer patients in Guernsey County. In recent years, survival rates for patients diagnosed with colon or breast cancer in Guernsey County have improved and the number of people diagnosed with late state colon cancer has decreased.

Thompson stated that SEMed has improved cancer care in several areas. The hospital has increased efforts to educate people about breast and colon cancer and about the importance of detecting these cancers early through tests such as colonoscopy and mammography. The hospital set a goal of insuring that 80% of county residents over 50 years old get a colonoscopy --the most effective diagnostic tool for identifying precancerous lesions and early stage cancer in the colon. SEMed received the Blue Star Award from the National Colorectal Roundtable for its efforts to increase awareness about preventing colorectal cancer.

SEMed purchased the Cancer Center in 2012 . Thompson stated that cancer patients in Guernsey County can now be treated locally and be confident that, “…treatment at the Cancer Center is 100% identical to treatment provided by the James Cancer Center in Columbus.”

A third area of focus is improving access to health care. Thompson reported SEMed is working to recruit more family doctors and specialists. The expanded Medicaid program has increased access to health care for many. Additionally, SEMed is helping patients get to appointments by offering transportation or gas cards.

The fourth area of focus identified by SEMed is to meet the need for life-style classes which can help people identify and deal with risk factors that result in diabetes and heart diseases. Eighty percent of the time this type health problems are related to life styles. Classes can help people change bad habits, get more exercise, and eat less sugar and fats.

Connect with #ByesvilleRotary at: www.Byesvillerotary.blogspot.com , Twitter Byesville_Club, or Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Byesville-Rotary/256548047818283. The club meets 7:30 am, Tuesday at the Stop Nine Senior Center at 60313 (GPS use 60299) Southgate Road, Byesville. Walk-ins are welcome at the club’s meeting. #6690