Join the 6th Annual Speare Shamrock Shuffle!

Posted on 03/08/201903/08/2019 by Speare Memorial Hospital

Punxsutawney Phil didn’t see his shadow, and you know what that means – spring is just around the corner. The days are getting longer, the ice is starting to melt and there’s no time like the present to get up, get out, and get moving with Speare Memorial Hospital’s family-friendly, 5K health walk/fun run.

This low cost, community event was developed in response to an identified community health need for families to have more opportunities to participate in physical, health activities. Speare’s Shamrock Shuffle 5K encourages participants of all ages and abilities to join in walking, running, and/or strolling. The Shamrock Shuffle begins and ends at Plymouth Regional High School and makes its way through the streets of Plymouth, NH. The event is not officially timed, as the focus is to encourage families and all community members to take steps toward a more active lifestyle.

REGISTRATION

The registration fee is only $10 per person. Children age 5 and under are free, but must be registered. Register in person at the hospital reception area or visit www.SpeareHospital.com/Shamrock to register online. (Please note, there is an additional small online processing fee.)

Thank you to our St. Paddy Day Sponsors: Medical Reimbursement Specialists and Morrison Healthcare. Pot ‘o Gold Sponsors: Woodstock Inn Brewery and MegaPrint, Leprechaun Bag Sponsor RehabFit, and our Four Leaf Clover Sponsors; Big Daddy Joe’s, Plymouth Ski & Sport, Rhino Bike Works, RP Williams, and The UPS Store. And like so many initiatives, Speare’s Shamrock Shuffle 5K wouldn’t be possible without broad community support. Speare is partnering with the Central New Hampshire CERT & MRC to help ensure the safety of walkers/runners on the course.

Speare's Shamrock Shuffle 5K 2018 Photobooth (14)

Be sure to dress in green to celebrate the St. Patrick’s Day theme. The first 150 registered walkers and runners are guaranteed a t-shirt and the first 300 finishers will receive a Speare Shamrock Shuffle medal. The event will take place no matter snow, sleet, rain or shine.

EARLY PICK-UP

Please Note: If you register in advance, you can pick up your packets from 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. in the Speare front lobby, on Friday, March 15th.

If you have additional questions about Speare’s Shamrock Shuffle 5K, please contact (603) 238-6468 or email: akench@spearehospital.com .

Do Your Part For Your Heart

Posted on 02/15/201906/13/2019 by Speare Memorial Hospital

(l-r) Kasey Harisiades, PSU Exercise Physiology Student, Craig Johnson, B.S., CMES Exercise Physiologist, Kimberly Brian, M.S., RCEP Exercise Physiologist, Emily Scaife, PSU Exercise Physiology Student

Cardiac Rehab team members working with patients at Speare Memorial Hospital (1)

National Cardiac Rehabilitation Week was initiated by the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR) to focus national attention on cardiac rehabilitation’s contribution to the improvement of the health and physical performance of individuals at risk for heart disease and/or those individuals diagnosed with heart disease or dysfunction.

AACVPR National Cardiac Rehabilitation Week is celebrated during February, American Heart Month, as part of a national campaign to draw greater attention to heart health. The week coincides each year with Valentine’s Day. AACVPR National Cardiac Rehabilitation Week 2019 will be celebrated February 10-16.

Cardiac Rehab team members working with patients at Speare Memorial Hospital (3)

Cardiac Rehab Program at Speare Memorial Hospital.

Cardiac Rehab team members working with patients at Speare Memorial Hospital (2)

AACVPR certified since 2013
Program runs Monday through Friday
Monitored Exercise for 60 min
35 min education class on risk factors/modifications
Covered by most insurance companies up to 36 visits
- 24 monitored exercise visits
- 12 education classes

About the Program

Cardiac Rehab team members working with patients at Speare Memorial Hospital (7)

Each participant wears a portable heart monitor so that their heart rate and rhythm can be monitored throughout the session. Patients exercise at different levels related to their medical history, current ability and personal goals. Exercises are adjusted by the staff according to the patient’s progress.

Education is also a very important part of Cardiac Rehab. Education classes teach patients about the disease process and prevention strategies to improve healthy lifestyle choices. Class topics include risk factors, medication, nutrition, exercise education, and cardiac anatomy.

Goals of Cardiac Rehabilitation

Cardiac Rehab team members working with patients at Speare Memorial Hospital (8)

Improve the performance of the heart muscle
Decrease blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels
Improve cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength and flexibility
Reduce cardiac risk factors
Increased self-esteem and confidence
Disease management
Patient self-management education
IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE

Covered Diagnoses

Cardiac Rehab team members working with patients at Speare Memorial Hospital (4)

MI (within 12 months)
-CABG (coronary artery bypass graft)
-Angioplasty (with or without stent)
-Valve repair or replacement (TAVR procedures)
-Stable angina
-Heart Transplant
-CHF (Class I-III)
-PVD (Peripheral Vascular disease)

Cardiac Rehab Team at Speare

Linda Nestor, Program Director
John Jehl, M.D., Medical Director
Craig Johnson, B.S., CMES: Exercise Physiologist
Kimberly Brian, M.S., RCEP: Exercise Physiologist
Janette Gaumer, RD, LD: Dietitian
Jesse Beaudry, Pharm.D: Pharmacist

For more information or to make an appointment call 603-238-6440

Speare Memorial Hospital Names Boucher New CFO

Posted on 02/13/201902/13/2019 by Speare Memorial Hospital

Speare Memorial Hospital is pleased to welcome Travis M. Boucher, of Concord, as the hospital’s new chief financial officer.

Boucher has a wealth of experience in health administration and financial management. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the health management and policy program at the University of New Hampshire and went on to earn his master’s degree in business administration, with a focus on healthcare administration, from Wagner College in New York.

Boucher’s career has taken him from a health system in Staten Island, New York to the Elliot Health System and the New Hampshire Hospital Association. He was most recently CFO at New Hampshire Hospital in Concord. While he may be new to Speare, Boucher is not unfamiliar with New Hampshire.

Boucher has been a member and former president/board member of the New Hampshire/Vermont chapter of the Healthcare Financial Management Association for over a decade.

Speare Memorial Hospital has hired Travis M. Boucher of Concord as the hospital’s new chief financial officer.

Boucher’s career has taken him from a health system in Staten Island, New York, to the Elliot Health System and the New Hampshire Hospital Association. He most recently served as chief financial officer at New Hampshire Hospital in Concord.

Boucher has been a member and former president/board member of the New Hampshire-Vermont chapter of the Healthcare Financial Management Association for more than a decade.

Speare Goes Red for Heart Health

Posted on 02/05/201903/04/2019 by Speare Memorial Hospital

February is designated as American Heart Month and the first Friday of the month is Wear Red Day to help raise awareness about cardiovascular disease and save lives. Because when we come together, there’s nothing we can’t do.

One in three. That’s the price women pay for cardiovascular disease. It’s time to change this fact. It’s time to be demanding when it comes to women’s heart health and ask others to do the same. Speare wore red, along with others across the nation, to help raise awareness.

CRNAs: The Future of Anesthesia Care Today

Posted on 01/23/201901/23/2019 by Speare Memorial Hospital

The first successful surgical procedure was performed with anesthesia in 1846. Since then, anesthesia has continued to evolve and become safer, playing an integral role in enabling doctors to perform necessary and life-saving operations.

(l-r) Daniel E. Rice, Jr. DNP, CRNA, Steven V. Ball, MS, MBA, CRNA, Director of Anesthesiology, Rachael (Rae) Ritter, MSN, CRNA

During the week of January 20-26, 2019, the certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) from Speare Memorial Hospital are joining thousands of their colleagues from across the country to celebrate the 20th annual National CRNA Week and educate the public about advancements in anesthesia patient safety and the role and value of CRNAs in delivering anesthesia care.

With a trusted history spanning more than 150 years, CRNAs are dedicated to knowing their patients and staying with them throughout their surgical procedure. CRNAs administer their patient’s anesthetics, monitor their vital signs, and address their physical responses. Each year CRNAs provide more than 45 million anesthetics to patients in the United States. They deliver the same safe, high-quality anesthesia care as other anesthesia professionals but at a lower cost, helping to control the nation’s rising healthcare costs.

“While 2019 marks the 20th year for National CRNA Week, the nurse anesthesia profession actually began more than 150 years ago during the American Civil War. Since then, we have taken great pride in administering safe, high-quality anesthesia with the level of care and compassion that is synonymous with being a nurse,” said Steven V. Ball, MS, MBA, CRNA, director of anesthesiology. “Through this campaign, we aim to highlight the valuable role that CRNAs play today and will continue to play tomorrow.”

The Department of Anesthesiology at Speare Memorial Hospital is staffed solely by nurse anesthetists who are frontrunners in cutting edge anesthesia care. Through a new program that sharply decreases the use of opiates during surgery and utilizes advanced regional anesthesia, Speare is raising the bar when it comes to post-operative pain control.

“We are providing our community members with the most superior care possible, and doing our part to prevent exposure to opiates when they are not needed,” says Ball.

Exercise For a Longer, Healthier Life

Posted on 01/10/201901/10/2019 by Speare Memorial Hospital

By RehabFit team members – Becky Chase MS, RCEP, and Leah Baron MS

Leah Baron, MS and Rebeccah Chase, MS, CSCS, RCEP

The effect of activity on mental and physical health is discussed frequently in today’s society. However, the benefits can be easily overlooked and taken for granted. A recent study done by researchers at the Cleveland Clinic has shown having a sedentary lifestyle is worse for health in comparison to smoking, diabetes, and heart disease. For 23 years, 122,000 people participated in the study and completed treadmill testing regularly. The participants were divided into groups based on their performance levels to collect data concerning cardiovascular fitness level, health improvements, and overall longevity and quality of life. Results showed those who did not exercise had a 500% raised risk of death compared to regular exercisers. This study confirms staying fit and active reduces long-term mortality.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, reported in June only 23% of Americans get enough exercise. The CDC guidelines suggest 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity each week, and resistance training twice a week. A brisk walk, swimming, or mowing the lawn are all examples for moderate intensity. Being unfit is being viewed as a stronger risk factor compared to hypertension, diabetes, and smoking for mortality. With this, a sedentary lifestyle should be looked at as a disease, which is treated with a prescription of exercise. Setting a short-term goal of exercising two to three days a week has shown decreasing the stiffening of arteries. The resistance that exercise puts on our bodies initiates other cardiovascular adaptations, for example improving the hearts overall function.

The United States spends more than $200 billion every year on treatments and complications for heart disease and diabetes. These are the most expensive diseases in America, and both are modifiable diseases. When clearance to exercise from a physician is obtained, there are no limits to the workout intensity unless stated. If we increase fitness education and support for physical activity, diseases and the costs associated with them can be reduced. This will coincide with an overall healthier, and longer, lifestyle. Exercise is truly medicine, and the benefits are never-ending.

RehabFit is a fitness center for people of all ages and abilities with special attention to members with medical conditions and diseases. RehabFit features cardio machines, dumbbells, TRX suspension trainers and strength machines. Becky and Leah are exercise specialists at RehabFit and are happy to help with any strength training modality and all fitness. Stop by RehabFit to take a tour at Boulder Point in Plymouth or call (603) 238-2225. No referral needed.

Reflecting on Giving Birth at Speare

Posted on 01/09/201901/09/2019 by Speare Memorial Hospital

“My daughter Megan just delivered a baby at Speare and had the most wonderful experience. She was going to have her baby at LRGH and was one of those shocked to learn she would not deliver there. She was scheduled to go to Concord, but two days after her due date was told that her insurance wouldn’t be accepted there. That wasn’t a great introduction to Speare, but it all went up hill from there — as she met and was so professionally handled by the staff in what turned out to be a very challenging delivery. You now have a family singing the praises of Speare. Thought you’d like to know.”

The crib was set up. The bags were packed. She was seven days past her due date. The only uncertainty had been where she could give birth. And this morning she woke up in labor.

At the start of her pregnancy, Meg McLean and her husband, Alex, began reading parenting books and preparing the baby room. Everything was going along dreamily. Six months into her pregnancy, however, she learned that her local hospital would no longer deliver babies, and she would be going to Concord. Two days after her due date things took another turn when Concord Hospital declined her insurance. She didn’t know at the time that she was about to have a complicated delivery. But if there is a silver lining, hers was Speare.

Meg was seen at Plymouth OB/GYN at Speare the same day she called them. Dr. Ebner took time to explain and demonstrate all the things that could happen during her delivery. She was given a tour of the birthing suite and found it warm and equipped with all she needed for a safe and comfortable delivery.

“I was so stressed out when I got there, but everyone was so nice I couldn’t help but feel better,” says Meg. “They even had my birthing plan in place!”

She went home with her spirits up.

“It happened so fast,” Meg remembers. “I woke up the next morning with one contraction after another — each one under 40 seconds as we made the twenty-minute drive to Speare. I was in so much pain; I would have never made it through an hour-long drive to Concord.”

Dr. Blue, a new physician at Plymouth OB/GYN, was on duty. Meg’s uterus was contracting so fast that it was affecting the baby’s heartbeat and both of their oxygen levels.

“Dr. Blue was so calm, confident and soothing that I didn’t realize anything was wrong,” says Meg. Ashley Francis, APRN, from Plymouth Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine was also there, as is protocol at Speare when a baby may need extra care. They explained that due to the lack of oxygen, they needed to get her baby out fast. Meg recognized the tools that Dr. Ebner had shown her the day before and was not concerned as the medical team jumped into action. Daughter Marley was born at 12:51pm. Ashley swept Marley away to be carefully examined and monitored. Both mom and baby were fine.

In the end, Meg says Speare was the very best thing that could have happened.

The young McLean family were so pleased with Ashley, that they now use Plymouth Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine as Marley’s physician group. “It’s nice to go there now because they really know my little family,” says Meg.

As for the future, Meg says they will definitely go to Dr. Blue and Speare again. Next time, however, they will plan on it.

We’ve been selected for the Hannaford Helps Reusable Bag Program

Posted on 12/27/201812/19/2018 by Speare Memorial Hospital

We are excited to share that Speare Memorial Hospital at Boulder Point, has been chosen by the Hannaford store located at 389 Tenney Mountain Hwy, Plymouth, NH as a beneficiary of the Hannaford Helps Reusable Bag Program!

This means for every Community Bag purchased at the Plymouth, NH Hannaford during the month of January, we receive $1. This is truly a great opportunity to be chosen again! Please go to the store, find the reusable bag rack and buy the reusable Community Bag!

Preventing Patient Falls

Posted on 12/18/2018 by Speare Memorial Hospital

Falls are the leading cause of unintentional injury deaths in New Hampshire among people ages 65 and over.

New Hampshire Falls Facts
(This information is from WISQARS and NHUDDS)

Falls are the leading cause of unintentional injury deaths among people 65-85+ with 210 deaths.
There were 12,045 older adults treated for fall-related injuries in emergency departments and hospitals
Total approximate cost for NH older adult hospitalizations (inpatient and emergency departments) was $416.5 million
Combined cost related to older adult injury deaths (ages 65+) in New Hampshire totaled $33,576,000, including the cost of work lost
For those hospitalized for falls, approximately 68% of the falls occurred in or near the home and 18.6% at a residential institution
Approximately 33% of hospitalizations falls were due to fracture and 15% was due to traumatic brain injury.

Falls Prevention Group Lauren Sirignano RN, Whitney Fish RN Clinical Leader, Meaghan Ringlein RN, Mary Hulse LNA and in Front Holly Butler RN — (l-r) Lauren Sirignano RN, Whitney Fish RN Clinical Leader, Meaghan Ringlein RN, Mary Hulse LNA and in front Holly Butler RN

Although most of those falls occur in or near the home, a team at Speare has been working diligently to decrease patient falls and harm to patients who may fall in the hospital. The team of nurses and licensed nursing assistants, from the day and night shifts, looked at workflow and reviewed patient falls.

When the Inpatient Fall’s group consisting of team members from Nursing, Lab, Respiratory, Quality, Physical Therapy, Staff Education Development, and the Medical-Surgical Unit came together, they made it a priority to review the fall data; when falls occurred, where they occurred and conditions at the time of the fall. Based on their review they determined that the majority of falls reported are related to using the restroom. The group suggested a trial of additional bars in the bathrooms to increase stability. This trial was successful, and bars will now be added to all the inpatient bathrooms.

Through evidence-based interventions, assessments and teamwork we are working together to prevent falls at SMH.

New After Hours Call Service at Plymouth Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine

Posted on 12/13/2018 by Speare Memorial Hospital

Plymouth Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine is committed to meeting the health care needs of your children 24 hours a day. We have implemented a new service for patients and families that call our office after hours.

When you call after hours, you will be directed to Night Nurse Plus, an outside agency that employs experienced pediatric nurses to answer your questions. Night Nurse Plus will contact our on-call provider if more assistance is needed. Our goal is to provide seamless access when a concern arises.

Triage Staff

RNs and NPs who average 18 years of clinical expertise are exclusively assigned to triage the patients of Night Nurse subscribers.

These nurses can be depended upon to competently and compassionately offer accurate treatment options and care advice within the most appropriate levels of care.

Performance Record

Average response to emergent calls within 5 minutes, urgent calls within 10 minutes and non-urgent calls within 30 minutes.*
Average time spent on each triage call – 9:27 min/sec.
Subscriber satisfaction: over 99.9% subscriber retention since 1999.
Satisfied patients/caregivers.
Safe effective triage…nearing 2-million triage encounters without incident.

If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to the practice at (603) 536-3700.

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