Cass Regional Medical Center | Wellness Matters | Fall 2018

INSIDE FALL 2018 New Vision medical stabilization program pg 3 Mary Luce, MD, retires after 36 years pg 7 for your HERE wellness matters health. Local business owner Rich Shelton has lived in Harrisonville since 1987 and opened Shelton Printing Company in Mill Walk Mall in 2003. Over the past few years he has been a patient in several areas at Cass Regional Medical Center, including a two-week inpatient stay. Another long- term connection Rich has had is with the staff of The Wound Center at Rock Haven Specialty Clinic. Rich has pressure ulcers and has been receiving treatment in the hyperbaric oxygen chambers for over a year and a half. Of the 120 chamber treatments he has had, more than 100 have been done at The Wound Center. “I always tell people how lucky we are to have this facility in our backyard,” Rich said. “The hyperbaric chambers are a great thing to have locally. I had to travel over 45 miles to another hospital before being able to come here for hyperbaric oxygen therapy.” Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) involves breathing pure oxygen in a pressurized room or tube. HBOT is a treatment for conditions such as serious infections, air bubbles in blood vessels and wounds that won’t heal as a result of diabetes or other conditions. “Each treatment in the HBO chamber is about two hours long. The chamber is clear all the way around, with a television that you can watch while receiving the treatment,” Rich said. “The Wound Center has a selection of movies to choose from, and you are also able to communicate with the staff while in the chamber.” Because of the length of time some wounds take to heal, patients can become discouraged. The staff at The Wound Center applaud Rich for his dedication to his treatment plan. “For health care to be effective, it is important for patients to be compliant with their prescribed care,” said Lois Stark, RN, safety director, HBO technician. “Rich is an exceptional patient who goes beyond compliance to take a proactive role in his own treatment. Rich actively seeks to understand his condition and the treatments provided to him. He’s a great problem-solver who is very willing to share the knowledge he has gained over time to potentially benefit other patients,” she said. “Rich is a pleasure to have as a patient in our wound care center,” said Renee Erwin, front office coordinator. “He is always pleasant and a great patient. I am always glad to help him in any way that I can. My hope for him is to be healed soon, but at the same time, I will miss seeing him,” she said. Rich is equally fond of The Wound Center staff. “Cass Regional is very convenient location-wise, but I choose it because of the personal relationships that I have developed with the staff,” he said. Long-term relationship From left: Renee Erwin, front office coordinator; Robin Finley, RN, case manager; Denise Hamblin, LPN; Rich Shelton, Wound Center patient; Teresa Gay, CNA; Linsey McElwain, RN, clinical nurse manager, case manager; Lois Stark, RN, safety director; Casey Hallstrom, program director; and Shaun Holden, MD, medical director.