Health and Medicine
Innovage- Alex Powell photos
The 2020 Census shows that almost one fifth of Virginians are over the age of 65, making senior living care a talking point for many people. At an open house today, the community was invited to visit the InnovAge Virginia PACE Roanoke Valley Center that opened last June. InnovAge Senior Regional Director of Business Development Eric Beasley on the importance of older adults’ independence; he believes the senior care community is acknowledging the importance of personal independence and that it helps those receiving care have better outcomes.
A Lexington video content creator is preparing a 30-day test to see if eating nothing but fast food can actually make you healthier — in this case, nothing but Taco Bell. Sam Reid plans to create a 20-minute video documenting his experience and its outcome. WFIR’s Evan Jones has more:
Click here for Sam Reid’s Kickstarter project page
A new stand-alone ER is opening in the Roanoke Valley to offer more immediate care to residents in the Blue Hills area of northeast Roanoke. The ribbon cutting ceremony was held this afternoon just off U.S. 460-Orange Avenue. This is LewisGale’s second stand-alone ER, with the first opening in Cave Spring a few years ago. Alan Fabian is the Market President for LewisGale.
(ROANOKE, Va.) – The Roanoke City and Alleghany Health Districts (RCHAD) has identified that an employee of a local food establishment has been infected with hepatitis A. The local health department dispatched the environmental health team to Billy’s Restaurant, 102 Market St. SE in Roanoke to conduct a comprehensive on-site inspection and to interview key personnel. The investigation determined that although the employee worked during the infectious period for hepatitis A (June 20 – July 6, 2022), the employee did not handle food. The restaurant’s management team is fully cooperating with the investigation.
As a result of the investigation and because the individual did not handle food, this situation does not meet the criteria to recommend post-exposure hepatitis A vaccine for patrons of the restaurant.
“While we are disappointed to announce another case connected to a current hepatitis A outbreak in our area, we believe this situation is low risk for the public. Still, the hepatitis A vaccine is recommended for all, since the current outbreak. Individuals who are uninsured or underinsured are encouraged to reach out to RCAHD local health departments for vaccine opportunities,” said RCAHD Health Director Dr. Cynthia Morrow.
Out of an abundance of caution and given the high level of sensitivity to the current hepatitis A outbreak in our community, the Roanoke City Health Department is offering free doses of hepatitis A vaccine to the public on a first-come, first-served basis, while supplies last at a mobile clinic located across the street from the Roanoke Health Department (1513 Williamson Rd. NE, 24012):
Virginia hospital systems have unveiled a new on-line tool designed to provide estimates of what many health care procedures will actually cost you — but it doesn’t always tell the full story. What you do is select a Virginia hospital, a procedure, and include any insurance or Medicare information. The website than provides an estimate of your out-of-pocket cost. The Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association says each estimate will tell you whether physicians’ fees and costs for services like radiology or anesthesia are included in the total. WFIR’s Evan Jones has more:
Click here for the VHHC hospital price estimator tool.
A ribbon cutting today for the new behavioral health wing at the Bradley Free Clinic in downtown Roanoke – more rooms for counselors to meet with patients struggling with mental health issues. Requests for mental health services spiked sharply nationwide during the height of the COVID pandemic. Janine Underwood is the clinic’s executive director. Underwood says more room was also needed for substance abuse counseling related to the Hope Initiative based at the Bradley Free Clinic.
Dr. Cynthia Morrow/VDH-VT photo
Virginia hit a 20 percent positivity rate for COVID testing recently, without the sharp spike in hospitalizations or serious illnesses however. The latest from the Roanoke City and Alleghany Health Districts, as WFIR’s Gene Marrano reports:
Roanoke College and Carilion Clinic have announced a new partnership to advance educational opportunities and workforce development for Roanoke College students – and Carilion employees. The partnership looks to build a better pipeline for non-clinical healthcare professionals, with increased placement of Roanoke College graduates at Carilion as a goal. Continuing education tracks for Carilion employees at the College is another component of the new partnership. The RC-Carilion enhanced partnership will begin to take shape with the Fall semester – that could include new healthcare-related majors and programs. Dr. Shannon Anderson is coordinator of public health studies at Roanoke College – she notes that RC students have already been interning with Carilion:
(Roanoke College release) Salem, Va. — Roanoke College and Carilion Clinic announced a new partnership to advance educational opportunities and workforce development for Roanoke College students and Carilion employees. The partnership will mobilize public health resources to serve the populations most in need in the Roanoke Valley.
“In many ways, our region’s success has been built on a foundation of partnerships between health care and higher education,” said Jeanne Armentrout, Carilion Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer. “Carilion has benefited from hiring many talented Roanoke College graduates in the past. Their skills and abilities, combined with a passion for serving others, make them an excellent fit for our culture and mission.”
The Roanoke College-Carilion Clinic partnership will:
· Utilize Roanoke College’s health-related curricula, such as the public health studies program, the business program, research initiatives and Carilion’s expanding medical education collaboratives, to address community health, well-being and the region’s growing community of healthcare professionals.
· Build a pipeline for non-clinical healthcare professionals through innovative internships and technical training that prepares students and graduates for careers, demonstrating Carilion’s and Roanoke College’s position among the founding stakeholders of the Blue Ridge Partnership for Health Science Careers.
· Create continuing education opportunities at Roanoke College for Carilion employees, drawing on existing and new training options in technology and administration.
· Track and measure program goals, including increased placement of non-clinical professionals in up-and-coming healthcare careers and career development training for Carilion employees to meet the needs of both organizations and the Roanoke Valley.
Partnership efforts are centered on improving community health, preparing students for careers in the health care sector and supporting professional development for Carilion’s workforce. Also, Roanoke College will explore how new majors and academic programs can address the ever-changing needs of all health care employers and the growing biomedical and biotechnology ecosystem in the region.
“This expanding partnership between Roanoke College and Carilion Clinic illuminates the power of higher education and professional health care to support critical community needs through meaningful work,” said Roanoke College President Michael C. Maxey, who is retiring in July. “There is no greater purpose than serving our communities and fellow citizens. I know President-elect [Frank] Shushok is committed to regional growth and meeting partnership goals. I am excited to witness the ways Roanoke College and Carilion will carry out this partnership to launch productive careers and serve the growing healthcare sector.”