Valleywide Health News, March 26-April 1, 2015

CENTENNIAL HILLS HOSPITAL RECEIVES RECOGNITION FROM CONSUMER REPORTS

Centennial Hills Hospital was one of only 37 hospitals nationwide and the only one in Nevada to receive recognition from Consumer Reports magazine for preventing surgical-site infections, bloodstream infections stemming from central lines, and infections stemming from the use of urinary catheters during a hospital stay.

The announcement was made in the Feb. 19 online edition of the magazine and utilized data from April 2012 through March 2013. The hospital’s most recent scores for 10 surgical care measures range between 95 and 100 percent, according to the website hospitalcompare.gov.

GO RED FOR WOMEN LUNCHEON RAISES $400k FOR HEART DISEASE RESEARCH

At the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association Las Vegas Division’s 10th annual Go Red For Women Luncheon, more than 600 women and men joined together to support making a change to beat heart disease and stroke in women at the Bellagio on Feb. 27.

The event raised nearly $400,000 in funds for heart disease research, educational materials and community programs for women, raising the awareness in women, advocating for increased funding of women and heart disease research and initiatives, and educating health professionals and their patients about women and heart disease.

Visit goredforwomen.org.

PHYSICAL THERAPY LOCATIONS SET TO COLLECT FOOD

Matt Smith Physical Therapy is set to begin its fourth annual food drive benefitting Three Square food bank. Through March 27, Matt Smith Physical Therapy again will be collecting nonperishable food at each of its Southern Nevada locations. Last year, the company collected 2,371 pounds of food.

The community is invited to participate by dropping off food items at any of the Matt Smith Physical Therapy locations during business hours: 7301 Peak Drive, Suite 101; 3233 W. Charleston Blvd., Suite 107; 727 N. Nellis Blvd.; 4000 S. Eastern Ave., Suite 300; 1525 E. Windmill Lane, Suite 202; 1505 Wigwam Parkway, Suite 240; 8551 W. Lake Mead Blvd., Suite 170; 3155 W. Craig Road, Suite 140; 3175 St. Rose Parkway, Suite 331; 8945 W. Post Road, Suite 200; or 500 S. Rancho Drive, Suite 2.

Visit mattsmithpt.com.

BRAIN HEALTH CENTER RECEIVES $2 MILLION

The Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health was recently awarded $2 million by the Elaine P. Wynn and Family Foundation, which will be used to advance the understanding of Parkinson’s disease and develop new means of testing new therapies.

The contribution was given in honor of Wynn’s late mother, Lee Pascal, who had the disease. The funds will used to support studies using advanced brain imaging. The studies supported will provide information regarding who is at risk for cognitive decline, what are the earliest indicators of cognitive impairment, what brain regions are maximally affected in those with cognitive decline, what is the rate of cognitive change and can cognitive impairment be arrested or modified.

The impact of funds from Wynn will be amplified with funding from Lynn and Bill Weidner, Larry Ruvo and the National Institutes of Health.

Visit clevelandclinic.org/brainhealth.

PHYSICAL MEDICINE PRACTICE ANNOUNCES SECOND OPENING

Aliante Integrated Physical Medicine has announced the opening of its second practice at 3061 S. Maryland Parkway. A grand opening celebration is planned from 5 to 7:30 p.m. April 16 at the new location. Visit alianteipm.com

KIDS IN THE KITCHEN EVENT PLANNED AT DISCOVERY MUSEUM

Discover Children’s Museum is partnering with the Junior League of Las Vegas to celebrate National Nutrition Month with Kids in the Kitchen, an event centered around healthy eating and exercise.

With games, cooking demonstrations, fitness activities and guest speakers, Kids in the Kitchen is planned from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 28 at the museum, 360 Promenade Place. Access to the day’s special programs will be available with standard museum admission.

Planned activities include a Kids Chef Relay Race, Mad Scientist Green Smoothies, a Roll the Dice Exercise Activity, a Slow-Go-Whoa Game and other stations aimed at giving kids a hands-on experience to learn important lessons about health and wellness.

Visit discoverykidslv.org.

BLOOD DRIVES PLANNED ACROSS LAS VEGAS VALLEY

The American Red Cross plans to host blood drives across the Las Vegas Valley. All blood types are needed, especially types O negative, A negative and B negative.

To schedule a donation appointment, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 800-733-2767.

Upcoming donation opportunities are:

Las Vegas

From 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. March 27 at Construction MD, 6226 S. Sandhill Road

From 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 28 at Electrical Workers Union No. 357, 808 N. Lamb Blvd.

From 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 28 at the Meadows Mall, 4300 Meadows Lane, Suite 10

North Las Vegas

From 7:15 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 29 at St. Christopher Catholic Church, 1840 N. Bruce St.

UNLV SCHOOL OF MEDICINE PLANS MORNING ROUNDS MEETING

A Morning Rounds meeting is planned by the UNLV School of Medicine, hosted by United Way of Southern Nevada, from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. March 30 at the Clark High School auditorium, 4291 Pennwood Ave. Dr. Barbara Atkinson, dean of the UNLV School of Medicine, is set to speak about the school’s goals and community collaboration. RSVP to Marilyn Provost at marilynp@uwsn.org or 702-892-2331.

SOUTHWEST MEDICAL UNVEILS SUMMERLIN HEALTH CENTER

Southwest Medical opened its Summerlin health center March 7 at Southwest Medical at Summerlin, 10105 Banburry Cross Drive, Suite 150. The facility offers senior wellness exams, primary and preventive care, blood glucose tests, bone mineral density tests, senior wellness exams, flu/pneumonia vaccines, urinalysis testing and radiology. Visit smalv.com.

STROKE SUPPORT GROUP PLANS MEETINGS

The Stroke Support Group is set to meet from 3 to 4 p.m. on the fourth Thursday of the month at Summerlin Hospital Medical Center, 657 N. Town Center Drive. It meets in Conference Room B, first floor past the cafeteria.

Call 702-233-7061.

SPECIAL NEEDS PLAN CREATED FOR PEOPLE WITH RENAL DISEASE

VillageHealth, the integrated kidney care division of DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc., and Humana Inc. announced that they are partnering to create a special-needs plan for Medicare beneficiaries with end-stage renal disease. The program, called Humana Kidney Care, will target end-stage patients in Las Vegas.

HealthCare Partners Nevada practices the Total Care Model, which means primary care providers are supported by an entire network of nurses, specialists, care managers, diagnostic team members and others, all working in sync to help patients. The interdisciplinary care team will coordinate the patient’s total care and help the patient navigate the various care settings such as hospitals and physician offices. Plan members receive their entire Medicare professional and hospital services and their prescription drug benefit through Humana Kidney Care.

Visit humana.com.

HYPNOBIRTHING CLASSES PLANNED AT SUMMERLIN HOSPITAL

A HypnoBirthing Class is planned from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Mondays through April 6 at Summerlin Hospital Medical Center, 657 N. Town Center Drive.

The class is offered by HypnoBirthing Las Vegas and offers self-hypnosis techniques, along with breathing and exercise techniques, nutrition, breastfeeding and post-partum care. The cost is $275, which includes instruction for the pregnant mother and her birth partner, a course textbook, a self-hypnosis practice CD and a course binder.

Visit hypnobirthinglasvegas.com or call 702-385-3331.

SEMINAR TO ADDRESS SURGERY FOR KNEE AND HIP PAIN

A seminar focusing on surgical options for knee and hip pain is planned from 6 to 7 p.m. April 13 in conference rooms 1 and 2 at Centennial Hills Hospital, 6900 N. Durango Drive. It will cover procedures for partial knee resurfacing and total hip replacement using the specialized MAKOplasty technology available only at Centennial Hills Hospital.

To register, call 702-388-4888. Visit centennialhillshospital.com.

WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY SEMINARS PLANNED

Free weight loss surgery informational seminars are planned at the Surgical Weight Control Center, 3802 Meadows Lane, at 6:30 p.m. April 2 and 10 a.m. April 11.

Registration is required by calling 702-313-8446. Anyone considering weight loss surgery, including gastric sleeve, lap band or gastric bypass, or who would simply like to learn more about the various surgeries, is invited to attend.

POWER OF LOVE GALA TO BENEFIT KEEP MEMORY ALIVE

Keep Memory Alive’s 19th annual Power of Love Gala is set for June 13 to raise funds for the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, 888 W. Bonneville Ave. The event is set to feature Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli and friends and include live auctions, wine and cocktails, and cuisine by celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck.

Tickets are on sale at keepmemoryalive.org/pol. Call 702-263-9797 or email events@keepmemoryalive.org.

PARTICIPANTS SOUGHT FOR NEW ALZHEIMER’S DRUG TRIAL

The Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, 888 W. Bonneville Ave., is recruiting participants for a new clinical trial, the A4 trial, investigating whether treating older individuals with the investigational drug solanezumab can delay memory decline in those who may be at risk to develop Alzheimer’s disease. The Anti-Amyloid Treatment in Asymptomatic Alzheimer’s study, or A4 study, also aims to learn more about brain markers and other tests to better predict who will experience memory decline and progress toward Alzheimer’s-related dementia.

The 3½-year, placebo-controlled study will test an experimental anti-amyloid antibody medication called solanezumab in people who may be in an asymptomatic stage of Alzheimer’s disease (having evidence of elevated amyloid build-up in their brain, but normal thinking and memory function). PET amyloid imaging scans will be used to determine whether potential participants have evidence of elevated amyloid buildup. The overall goal of the study is to determine whether decreasing amyloid in the brain with antibody treatment can help slow the memory loss associated with amyloid buildup in some people.

The trial is seeking healthy individuals ages 65 to 85 who may be at risk for memory loss due to Alzheimer’s disease. Those selected will be randomized to either receive solanezumab or a placebo once every four weeks by intravenous infusion. Approximately 1,150 participants will be tested nationwide.

The study is a private-public partnership, funded by the National Institutes of Health, Eli Lilly and Co. and several philanthropic organizations.

Call 855-568-7886, visit clevelandclinic.org/brainhealth or email brainhealth@ccf.org.

FREE BLOOD PRESSURE CHECKS TO BE OFFERED FRIDAYS

Free blood pressure checks are set to be available from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fridays at the Southern Nevada Health District’s main facility, 330 S. Valley View Blvd.

Visit southernnevadahealthdistrict.org.

SOUTHWEST MEDICAL ASSOCIATES TO HOST WEIGHT MANAGEMENT GROUP

The HEW/Weight Management Support Group is planned from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. Mondays at the Southwest Medical Associates Lifestyle Center-West, 8670 W. Cheyenne Ave., Suite 105. Discuss nutrition and exercise and get tips for weight loss.

To register, call 702-877-5356.

MONTHLY SUPPORT GROUPS PLANNED FOR STROKE, BRAIN INJURY SURVIVORS

Monthly support groups for survivors of stroke and brain injuries are planned at Centennial Hills, Desert Springs, Summerlin and Valley hospitals. The meetings offer education, encouragement and resources from other survivors and are facilitated by the stroke coordinators at each hospital.

Support groups are open to all survivors and their spouses/partners/caregivers. All four hospitals are Primary Stroke Centers and are committed to providing a continuum of care through diagnosis, intervention, treatment, acute rehabilitation and ongoing recovery.

Groups are planned at:

— Centennial Hills Hospital Medical Center, 6900 N. Durango Drive, from 3 to 4 p.m. the second Tuesday of every month in Conference Rooms 1 and 2 on the first floor near the cafeteria. Call 702-629-1309.

— Desert Springs Hospital Medical Center, 2075 E. Flamingo Road, from 10 a.m. to noon the first Saturday of every month in the South Magna Conference Center in the black building south of the main entrance. Park off Bruce Street. Lunch is provided. Call 702-369-7560.

— Summerlin Hospital Medical Center, 657 N. Town Center Drive, from 3 to 4 p.m. the fourth Thursday of the month in Conference Room B on the first floor past the cafeteria. Call 702-233-7061.

— Valley Hospital Medical Center, 620 Shadow Lane, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. the fourth Wednesday of the month in the fourth-floor acute rehabilitation unit in the dining room. Light refreshments will be served. Call 702-388-8441 or 702-388-4619.

SMOKING CESSATION CLASSES PLANNED ACROSS VALLEY

The American Lung Association plans to host smoking cessation classes through April at locations around the valley. Sessions feature a step-by-step plan for quitting smoking, with each session designed to help smokers gain control over their behavior. The clinic format encourages participants to work on the process and problems of quitting both individually and as part of a group.

Clinics are scheduled for:

— 5:30 to 7 p.m. Tuesdays through April 7 at the Aljian Conference Center at St. Rose Dominican Hospital’s San Martin campus, 8280 W. Warm Springs Road; call Kimberlee Kobernick at 702-616-4900 or register at dignityhealth.org/las-vegas/classes-and-events.

— 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesdays upon request, St. Christopher’s School En Espanol, 1840 N. Bruce St., Room 8; call Rocio Galicia at 702-376-7429.

SUMMERLIN HOSPITAL TO HOST STROLLER STRIDES CLASS

A new Stroller Strides Fit4Mom class is planned from 4 to 5 p.m. Wednesdays on the campus of Summerlin Hospital Medical Center at 653 N. Town Center Drive.

Stroller Strides is a total fitness program that moms do with their babies. Activities include power walking/jogging and intervals of strength and body toning exercise using exercise tubing, a stroller and the environment. The class is taught by certified fitness instructors with specialty training in the pre- and postnatal woman. Instructors weave songs and activities into the routine designed to engage and entertain the babies.

Registration is required. To enroll, visit lasvegas.fit4mom.com.