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MERITUS STORIES
Managing chronic lower back pain gets Chambersburg woman back on court
Vickie Group just wanted to play pickleball. That’s what the 66-year-old Chambersburg, Pa., resident told Chiemeka Onyima, M.D., D.ABA, with Meritus Pain Specialists. But her chronic lower back pain sidelined her from the game — and many other activities, including going to work. She started with physical therapy, but “it didn’t do much,” she said. “And then I finally got ahold of someone with Meritus,” Group said. “Once I got ahold of Dr. Onyima, he went through the process and helped me considerably.” The first step was trying to figure out the cause of her pain, Dr. Onyima said. “I conducted ‘diagnostic blocks’ to confirm the cause of her pain,” he said. Group said that involved getting a few shots in her back to help locate the source of the pain. “Once the diagnosis was obtained, she underwent radiofrequency ablations to provide her with long term relief for her chronic back pain,” Dr. Onyima said. “She did great with the procedure and reported a significant improvement of her quality of life and overall daily functionality.” Group complimented Dr. Onyima’s bedside manner and the thoroughness of the procedures. “He told me everything that was going to happen,” she said. “For every step, whenever he was doing anything, he told me what was about to happen.” Once the procedures were done, she was able to do most things without experiencing pain. “It made life a lot easier, that’s for sure,” she said. Dr. Onyima said making it easier is his main objective. “The main goal of pain management is to not only treat pain, but to allow individuals to re-engage with society from a social, mental, physical, and often times economic standpoint, despite their current ailment,” he said. As for Group, she’s just thankful she could get back to doing what she enjoys, playing pickleball. “I play almost every day,” Group said, “for like three hours a day.” If you would like to learn more about how to better manage your pain, visit Meritus Pain Specialists online at www.meritushealth.com/painspecialists.
NEWS & UPDATES
Wash your hands, Meritus infection prevention experts say
How vigilant are you when it comes to washing your hands? As we shuffle farther into cold and flu season, handwashing is even more vital, according to Cathy Ware and Tommie Blalock, infection prevention specialists at Meritus Health. To better understand why, think of your hands as a vehicle, like a bus, Blalock said. “Germs need a vehicle, and one of the vehicles they like to ride are our hands,” he said. And there are all sorts of bad bugs sitting on things we touch, waiting for a ride. “One of our biggest culprit are respiratory viruses,” Ware said. “They’re all sort of lumped together. Rhinovirus, flu, etc.” But stomach bugs also get transmitted a lot, especially at this time of year when we gather together to share meals. “At Thanksgiving, we tend to see an uptick in stomach flu,” Blalock said. “People are sharing spatulas and spoons, so germs can be passed that way.” And while the viruses might not make you sick, they are still hitching that ride and could make someone else sick, such as an older family member or an infant, Ware and Blalock said. How do you wash your hands? So, you’re convinced you need to step up your handwashing game. Do you know the proper motions? The World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and numerous other health organizations generally recommend these steps: After getting your hands wet with water and adding soap, rub your palms together. Put your right palm over the back of your left hand, then rub in between your fingers. Repeat with your left palm over the back of your right hand. Put your palms together and rub between your fingers again. Put your right-hand fingertips overtop of your left-hand fingertips, then make a fist with both hands so your fingers interlock. Rub the backs of your fingers in your palms. Wrap your left thumb with your right hand, then rotate back and forth, like you’re revving a motorcycle. Repeat with the right thumb and left hand. Scrub your fingernails of your right hand on the palm of your left hand. Repeat, switching hands. Rinse your hands with water and dry your hands thoroughly with a single-use towel. Use that same towel to turn off the water before you throw the towel in the trash. Ware and Blalock said the order doesn’t necessarily matter, and the water can be hot or cold, “though for comfort, I’d imagine they’d prefer warm,” Ware said. What’s the difference between soap and water and hand sanitizer? “The most important thing is the mechanical moving of your hands that moves the germs off,” Blalock said. “Water washes the germs away. Alcohol-based hand sanitizer kills the germs, well, most of them.” That’s why soap and water is more effective than using hand sanitizer, they said. But, if that’s all you have, follow the same steps and make sure the sanitizer is at least 60% alcohol. And while hand sanitizer is good at killing most respiratory viruses, there are some gastrointestinal germs that are resistant to alcohol. “It’s still better than nothing,” Blalock said. For those who unfortunately find themselves in the hospital, there are things you can do beyond washing your own hands to help prevent the spread of germs. Throughout Meritus Medical Center there are “cough stations,” which include hand sanitizer, masks and tissues, Ware said. Also, there are many hand sanitizer pumps throughout the hospital, positioned at the entrance to patient rooms. The hospital also has a commitment to hand hygiene, meaning every healthcare provider is to wash their hands before visiting with a patient. “Question your caregivers,” Blalock said. “Did you do your hand hygiene? And encourage any visitors you might have, too.” For the latest, up-to-date information on the flu season, viral illnesses, testing, treatment, and vaccination options, please visit MeritusHealth.com/Viralillness.
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2 Meritus physicians named to Washingtonian Top Doctors list for 2024
Seemal Awan, M.D., and Arish Noor, M.D., were among the peer-chosen list Two Meritus doctors were recently named among Washingtonian Magazine’s Top Doctors for 2024, based on recommendations from other physicians. Seemal Awan, M.D., with Meritus Allergy & Asthma Specialists, and Arish Noor, M.D., with Meritus Hematology & Oncology Specialists, were among more than 2,100 doctors on the D.C.-area magazine’s annual list. The magazine creates the list based on expert referrals. It sent ballots to more than 13,000 physicians and asked which of their peers they’d choose for their own family’s healthcare. The physicians were not allowed to name themselves or their practice partners. “It is an honor to be selected by my peers as a Top Doctor,” Awan said. “This is a reflection of the quality care we strive to give at Meritus Allergy & Asthma Specialists.” “This distinguished listing means a lot, knowing other doctors nominated those on the list,” Noor said. “I believe it is an example of living out the Meritus mission, which is to improve the health of the community.” Washingtonian compiles the annual list as a “resource to help make any medical odyssey a little easier to navigate.” “If your husband needed back surgery or your child suddenly had allergies or you noticed a suspicious mole, you’d want a good physician you could trust,” the magazine staff wrote in an introduction to the list. “To find that person, you might ask your primary-care doctor for a recommendation. After all, physicians see one another’s work and hear feedback from patients.” To learn more about Dr. Awan and Meritus Allergy & Asthma Specialists, visit www.meritushealth.com/allergies. To learn more about Dr. Noor and Meritus Hematology & Oncology Specialists, visit www.meritushealth.com/HematologyOncology.
Meritus Medical Center earns 4th ‘A’ Hospital Safety Grade
New grade from Leapfrog for fall 2024 is a national recognition for commitment to patient safety Meritus Medical Center earned its fourth straight “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit watchdog focused on patient safety. Leapfrog assigns an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D” or “F” grade to general hospitals across the country based on over 30 performance measures reflecting errors, accidents, injuries and infections, as well as the systems hospitals have in place to prevent them. “At Meritus Health, being dedicated to our community means prioritizing patient safety," said Chief Operating Officer Carrie Adams, Pharm.D. "Earning our fourth consecutive ‘A’ in Hospital Safety Grade reflects the commitment of our team members to safeguard our patients and enhance community health.” “Achieving an ‘A’ Hospital Safety Grade is a significant accomplishment for Meritus Medical Center,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “It reflects enormous dedication to your patients and their families, and your whole community should be proud. I extend my congratulations to Meritus Medical Center, its leadership, clinicians, staff and volunteers for their tireless efforts to put patients first.” The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade stands as the only hospital ratings program focused solely on preventable medical errors, infections and injuries that kill more than 500 patients a day in the United States. This program is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. Grades are updated twice annually, in the fall and spring. To explore Meritus Medical Center’s full grade details and to find valuable tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org. To learn more about Meritus and its mission, vision and values, go to www.meritushealth.com, and follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn.
PROMOTING A