News

Hutcheson Foundation Raises Over $54,000

More than 140 golfers and 40 volunteers participated in the annual Hutcheson Health Foundation Golf Tournament held at Windstone Golf Course on May 5.        

“It was a great day with great weather, great fellowship and great success” states Leonard Fant, Chairman of the Board for Hutcheson Health Foundation. The tournament raised over $54,000, after expenses, for the Hutcheson Health system. 

 “We appreciate and rely on the support from our foundation. The golf tournament is one of our major annual fund raising events and we very much appreciate everyone’s participation” said Health System President and CEO, Charles Stewart 

Pat Page, community leader and board member for Hutcheson Health Foundation, served as chairwoman for the event.  “Pat led a great group of volunteers who went above and beyond in securing sponsorships and participants for this year’s event” Fant said.  “We appreciate our major sponsors for the event including platinum sponsors Blood Assurance and Emergency Coverage Corporation of TeamHealth.  Chattanooga Office Supply, Fuller Rehabilitation/ILA, and Weeks & Peters Insurance were gold sponsors for the tournament.”

The winning team (left) finishing in first place for the first flight included Chairman Fant, Joe Ellis, David Broyles and Ken Bennett. 

The Battlefield Internal Medicine Group: Tiku Bhutwala, Bill Horton, Jeremy Ervin and Jason Bell came in first place for the second flight and Northwest Georgia Bank: Frank Hales, Rick Partain, Bobby Hudgens, and Richard Arp, took home the third flight, first place honors.

Pat Page, tournament chair for the 2009 Hutcheson Health Foundation Golf Classic, presents (L) Leonard Fant, Hutcheson Health Foundation Chairman of the Board and (R) Charles Stewart, President and CEO of Hutcheson Medical Center, with a check for $54,000 following the Foundation’s May 5 golf tournament at Windstone Golf Course. 

Hutcheson Purchases New Beds for Hospital

Officials at Hutcheson Medical Center continue to advance their commitment to excellence and the community through the purchase of 125 new patient beds and an upgrade of an additional 10 patient beds at a cost of more than $875,000. The new beds were purchased through the recent bond refinancing that occurred earlier this year and will be placed in the medical/surgical units, intensive care unit, labor and delivery, pediatrics, and Parkside Nursing Home.

“We are very pleased to purchase these beds for the residents in our communities who depend on us for care,” said Charles Stewart, president and CEO of Hutcheson Medical Center. “It’s been a long time coming, and we know that these state-of-the art beds that will improve the comfort and care of our patients.

The beds will adjust to practically any level allowing a person to move from a prone position to a sitting position or rotate from side to side, all enhancing the level of care for each patients. The different positions also allow for increased pulmonary function for some patients.

The cost of the beds ranges from $1,700 for long-term care beds to $24,000 for intensive care beds depending on the type patient who will use the bed. The beds were purchased from Indiana-based Hill-Rom, the leading manufacturer of hospital beds.

Hutcheson is also completing renovation of its main lobby. “We hope to have the lobby completed by early October,” said Stewart. “We have a lot of exciting things happening at Hutcheson. These are all changes and improvements that meet our mission of serving as a true community hospital and providing the highest level of care possible for our patients.”

Hutcheson Completes First Fully Comprehensive Cancer Center

When the Fuller Cancer Center in Ringgold was created four years ago, it offered a new location for cancer treatment for patients in north Georgia and Chattanooga. The Center’s vision has evolved from its inception and an expansion has created a level of patient care that hospital officials say is unique to the region.

“Our new vision for care of the patient is centered around three goals,” said Charles Stewart, president and CEO of Hutcheson. “The first goal is to provide the most comprehensive range of cancer services in one central location. Next, assemble the best team of medical professionals, including radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, radiologists, surgeons, pathologists, nurses and other professional staff. And lastly, create a level of care that is based on patient comfort and convenience currently not available in the region.”

The newly completed renovation and an expansion of services at the Center will allow us to accomplish all three of these goals,” said Stewart, president and CEO of Hutcheson. 

“This will be the most patient-centered care available for patients who are undergoing various cancer treatments,” said Stewart. To fully appreciate what this means, you have to understand how this is different from any other treatment approach in the area.” 

According to Stewart, the expansion relocates Hutcheson’s chemotherapy services from the hospital’s main campus to the Fuller Cancer Center building at Hutcheson on the Parkway and adds a new patient resource center. The new Chemotherapy Suite, funded from a donation from the Hutcheson Health Foundation, focuses on patient comfort and convenience. Incorporating nature into the healing process, patients will receive treatments in a relaxed setting which looks onto a landscaped courtyard. The new Houston Jewell Cancer Resource Center will provide a location for patients and families to receive educational information about cancer diagnosis, treatment and recovery in a beautifully designed home-like setting.  

Comprehensive, Coordinated Services-One location

“The existing model of cancer care in our region is very fragmented, requiring the patient to navigate a complex maze of various sites,” said Stewart.  “A patient is first sent to a location for a diagnostic test such as a mammogram. If a problem is detected, the patient is then referred to another location for surgery. If chemotherapy is required, the patient is sent to another location and if radiation therapy is required, the patient must go yet to another location. Hutcheson has literally removed all of these barriers and located every service needed under one roof for the patient.”  The Hutcheson on the Parkway campus houses the new chemo therapy suite, two groups of medical  oncologists, radiation oncologists at the Fuller Cancer Center, diagnostic imaging at Battlefield Imaging, the Auxiliary Breast Center, the Hutcheson Surgery Center,  the new Jewel Cancer Resource center and onsite laboratory, pathology and pharmacy services.

The Treatment team

The treatment team consists of the area’s most outstanding professionals working together for the best patient outcomes. Radiation therapy at the Fuller Cancer Center is provided by Harbin Clinic Radiation Oncologists Drs. Matt Mumber, James Santoro and John Abdou.  Dr. Mumber, medical director of the center, is known statewide for his commitment to the patient. He has been involved in leadership positions with the Georgia Cancer Coalition and its partners for many years. He is a board member of the Georgia Center for Oncology Research and Education (Georgia CORE); chairman of the Northwest Georgia Regional Cancer Coalition; and a member of the board of directors of the Georgia Society of Clinical Oncology. Dr. Mumber was the 2008 recipient of the Georgia Cancer Coalition Hamilton Jordan Founder’s Award.

Dr. Mumber speaks throughout the country on integrative oncology and, in 2006 he published the textbook Integrative Oncology: Principles and Practice, which explores a comprehensive evidence-based approach to cancer care, addressing all individuals involved in the process.

Medical oncology is provided on the Parkway campus by Drs. Davey Daniel, Edward Arrowsmith, and Darrell Johnson of Chattanooga Oncology. Dr. John McCravey of University Oncology, who has practiced in north Georgia for many years, recently located his office to the Fuller Cancer Center facility also. The physicians with Diagnostic Radiology Consultants provide the radiology services at Battlefield Imaging, a joint partnership of Hutcheson’s, with John Nelson, MD, serving as medical director of the Auxiliary Breast Center.  Battlefield Imaging, the only fully digital imaging center in the area, provides the latest in most advanced technology available in the area with PET/CT, MRI and mammography.  Also serving patients who need surgery are general surgeons Drs. Daniel Heithold, Thomas Gilmore and Andrew Lovette.  The care provided by the various physicians and professional staff at the center is coordinated by a nurse navigator.

“Patients and families dealing with cancer have enough to worry about without having to find their way from one phase

of treatment to another.  Combining the best technology with an expert team of professionals and now having all services under one roof creates a new standard for patient care available in few areas of the country,” Stewart said.  “Patients will definitely see and feel a difference in their care.”           

Hutcheson Getting Fit in 2009

Hutcheson is ready to Get Fit in 2009!  With the launch of a new employee health program on Tuesday, January 13, employees are making the commitment to be healthier. Get Fit is all about improving nutrition and increasing physical activity to promote weight loss without medical/surgical intervention.

Employees are participating as an individual or team of up to four individuals to complete in the weight loss program.  Getting fit can be a challenge, so forming a supportive team and having fun while achieving a weight loss goal is encouraged.  

Get Fit is a three month weight loss program. There will be four, official and highly confidential weigh-ins at designated locations throughout the Hutcheson System.  Weigh-ins to begin the program will take place until Friday, January 16.  Additional weigh-ins will be the week of February 23, March 23 and will end the week of April 20. 

The Get Fit challenge will end with prizes being awarded to the top three losing teams and the top individual male/female losers.  Weight loss will be based on percentage weight loss to make sure everyone has an equal chance of winning prizes.

Over 300 individuals are currently participating in the program to start seeing and feeling a difference in their life.

“With the launch of Get Fit, we have seen a great response to promote health and fitness among our employees and excitement with the challenge. As we play a role in promoting health care throughout the community, it is our responsibility to encourage a healthy lifestyle”, states Charles Stewart, President and CEO.