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HealthWays
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Aaron Salyapongse, MD, is the
medical director of the Joint
Replacement Institute.
ValleyCare Health System received
three different gold awards in 2011.
Heart Failure
ValleyCare received the GetWithThe Guidelines
(GWTG)—Heart Failure Gold Plus Quality Award from the
American Heart Association (AHA) for excellence in the
treatment of patients with heart failure.
Heart failure is a serious condition that occurs when
the heart, though beating, cannot pump enough
blood and oxygen to support other organs. The
goal of GWTG is to help health care providers give
appropriate, evidence-based care that will reduce
disability and death and improve quality of life
for patients.
Heart Attack
ValleyCare is only one of 167 hospitals nationwide
to receive the American College of Cardiology (ACC)
Foundation’s NCDR Action Registry—GWTG Gold
Performance Achievement Award for 2011. The award
recognizes ValleyCare’s commitment and success in
implementing a higher standard of care for heart
attack patients. It also means that we have reached
our goal in treating these patients following the
clinical guidelines outlined by the ACC and the AHA.
Joint Replacement forHips andKnees
ValleyCare received The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal
of Approval for its hip and knee joint replacement
programs. The Joint Replacement Institute underwent
a voluntary rigorous survey on compliance with
national standards of health care and safety in
joint replacement, specific to the needs of patients
and families.
Under the
direction of Aaron
Salyapongse, MD,
medical director
of ValleyCare’s
Joint Replacement
Institute, ValleyCare
is revolutionizing
hip and knee
replacement
surgeries, allowing
patients to stay
active and continue doing what they love. The latest
techniques in hip and knee surgery alleviate pain
for patients.
For more information about
ValleyCare programs and services,
visit
www.valleycare.com
.
ValleyCare
Strikes
GOLD!
ALERT
news
D
octors are dreamers. They dream that after they’ve
done all they can for you as a patient, you will
continue to nd your way on the road that leads to
health and successful living.
At ValleyCare’s LifeStyleRx Wellness Center, we’ve
made it our mission to turn that hope into reality through
our Clinical Integration Program by walking the distance
with you.
“Clinical integration helps people transition from patient
care to self-care,” says Summer Phinney, director of the
LifeStyleRx Wellness Center. “This can be a scary time—
they don’t always know what they can or should do to fur-
ther their health and tness. Our job is to show them, ‘Yes,
you can do this’ in an environment of security and safety.”
“From a life perspective, there’s a void after intense
therapy—this program is part of the care continuum,” says
Rishi Sawhney, MD, an oncologist who regularly refers
cancer patients to the program. He tells his patients, “It’s
like you took a detour. Visualize an on-ramp that allows
you to march back onto the highway of life.”
A MEDICAL FITNESS CENTER
“As a medical tness center, LifeStyleRx Wellness Center
offers the community a service no one else provides,”
Phinney says. “ValleyCare takes people full circle, through
all the phases—from sickness and disease to a full health
regimen that includes diet and exercise.”
All of the staff members are quali ed with the highest
certi cations and credentials available in the tness indus-
try, and the facility operates under the guidelines of the
Medical Fitness Association.
CLINICAL INTEGRATION FOR YOUR LIFESTYLE
Individuals referred into the Clinical Integration Program
meet with Ruby Guevarra, MS, clinical integration specialist.
“We provide tness assessments, education on proper
exercise techniques, risk factor modi cations and specially
tailored strength and conditioning exercise programs,”
says Guevarra, “to ensure our patients receive the proper
progression of exercises to help them return to an active
and healthy lifestyle.”
Often people are reluctant to begin an exercise program
for fear they might aggravate their condition, and this is
where the program really shines—by offering a level of
safety unmatched in other tness clubs. Here everyone’s
needs are taken into account, whether you are just leaving
a doctor’s care or are a serious athlete in training.
After two knee replacements and physical therapy,
Jared Du Fresne found himself on his own. “I would start
exercising and something would happen—my back or my
tendons would be hurting,” he says. Then he discovered
the Clinical Integration Program and began working with
Guevarra.
“I love basketball but thought I would never play again
after the surgeries,” he says. “But Ruby told me with
proper training and progression there was no reason I
couldn’t play again, so that was the goal she set for me.”
Guevarra worked with Du Fresne’s physical therapist
and developed an individualized plan to reintroduce agility
exercises, which allowed him to progress toward his goal.
CONTINUED SUPPORT
Sharon Mondon has a similar story. Recovering from
uterine cancer surgery, Mondon had high blood pressure,
arthritis and prediabetes when she began the program. She
spent a year working with Guevarra before joining clinical
integration group training as the next step.
Group classes allow participants to work at their
own level within the framework of their medical or
physical limitations. “It’s a much more vigorous pro-
gram routine, and I’ll be doing more than I did before,”
Mondon says.
Regardless of whether you need a month or a year of
support, the Clinical Integration Program will guide you
around potential pitfalls and provide the education you
need to continue along the wellness path.
“Our Clinical Integration Program really hits home
when something acute or chronic affects you or a loved
one and offers an extension of services unavailable any-
where else,” Phinney says. “We are here to provide an ease
of use so people feel comfortable about exercising—and help
them nd con dence in their abilities again.”
For more information on the Clinical Integration
Program, contact Ruby Guevarra at
925 454 6349
or rguevarra@valleycare.com.
TheClinical Integration
Program Is Here to Help
We offer support in the following areas:
Cancer Survivorship
For clients in various stages of cancer diagnosis and
treatment, exercise can help reduce fatigue and improve
overall well-being. Participants must be cleared by their
physicians.
Cardiac andPulmonaryRehab—
Phase4
This is offered to people with controlled cardiovascular,
pulmonary or metabolic disease.
Diabetes
Regular exercise helps control blood sugar, increases
good cholesterol (HDL) and maintains optimal weight.
Post-PhysicalTherapyand
Reconditioning InjuryPrevention
Safe corrective exercise helps recently discharged physical
therapy patients.
Weight Loss Surgery
Regular exercise is crucial for pre- and post-weight loss
surgery patients for long-term lifestyle changes.
Transitioning
toWellness
The Clinical Integration Program at LifeStyleRx Wellness Center
Marcy Feit
President and
Chief Executive Officer
ValleyCare Health System–Pleasanton
5555–5575 and 5725
W. Las Positas Blvd.
Pleasanton, CA 94588
ValleyCare Health System–Livermore
1111–1133 E. Stanley Blvd.
Livermore, CA 94550
ValleyCare Health System–Dublin
4000 Dublin Blvd., Suite 150
Dublin, CA 94568
The mission of ValleyCare Health System is to assume the leadership role for the
health of the communities of the Tri-Valley.
ValleyCare Health Information:
800-719-9111
,
www.valleycare.com
HealthWays
is published twice a year by the Marketing and Public Relations Department for friends
of ValleyCare Health System. Information in
HealthWays
comes from a wide range of medical
experts. If you have concerns or questions about specific content that may affect your health, please
contact your health care provider. Models may be used in illustrations.
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CUT28047
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