Inova Health System Fighting the Flu With a One-Two Punch
November 25th, 2009
Inova Loudoun Hospital Mobile Health Offering December Flu Shot Clinic
Leesburg, VA – Facing a flu season complicated by the prospect of both the seasonal flu and the H1N1 (“swine flu”) virus, Inova Loudoun Hospital Mobile Health Services will offer a seasonal flu shot clinic in December.
The seasonal flu shot clinic will take place on Tuesday, Dec. 8, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the main entrance of Inova Loudoun Medical Center – Leesburg, 224 Cornwall Street, Leesburg. The clinic is open to the general public. Children aged 6 months and older are eligible to receive a flu shot. Each child must be accompanied by a legal guardian or parent. Seniors with a valid Medicare card can also receive a flu shot. The cost for the seasonal flu shot is $25 per person (cash or check accepted).
The flu is not just a bad cold. Each year, about 36,000 people in the U.S. die from causes related to seasonal flu, while more than 200,000 people are hospitalized. An annual flu vaccination is safe and convenient, and can be up to 90 percent effective in protecting against this serious illness. Members of the community can protect themselves and their loved ones by getting their vaccines.
For more information about immunizations and other flu-related services offered by Inova, call 703-750-8800 (or call toll-free 1-877-895-5BUG) or visit www.inova.org/flu.
Inova Loudoun Hospital, serving Loudoun County for nearly 100 years, is part of Inova Health System, a not-for-profit healthcare system based in Northern Virginia that consists of hospitals and other health services, including emergency- and urgent-care centers, home care, nursing homes, mental health and blood donor services, and wellness classes. Governed by a voluntary board of community members, Inova’s mission is to improve the health of the diverse community it serves through excellence in patient care, education and research. Inova provides a healthy environment for its patients, families, visitors, staff and physicians by prohibiting tobacco use on its campuses.
Inova Health System Expands Behavioral Health Services
November 23rd, 2009
Fairfax, Loudoun Counties Get Vital Mental Health Services
Falls Church, VA – Inova Health System has opened three new outpatient behavioral health clinics in Fairfax and Loudoun Counties, in areas that previously lacked these vital services. Established in the Mount Vernon area, northern Fairfax County and Leesburg, the clinics provide patients with access to behavioral health evaluations, medication evaluations and ongoing medication management.
“Mental health is an important yet often overlooked healthcare service,” said Shirley Repta, Executive Director, Behavioral Health, Inova Health System. “Our goal is to provide world-class, financially viable behavioral health services to all the communities we serve.”
Services at the new clinics are provided by a team of experienced psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners (a licensed clinical psychologist is available for individual therapy and psychological testing at the northern Fairfax clinic location).
The clinics also offer a Partial Hospitalization Program, which provides a structured treatment setting for individuals transitioning from psychiatric inpatient settings or for patients who, without partial hospitalization, would require inpatient care.
Services include:
- Acute crisis stabilization
- Medication consultation
- Differential diagnosis
- Individualized treatment plan
- Cognitive behavioral groups
- Psycho-education groups
- Medication education
- After-care/Discharge planning
- Psychological testing
The Partial Hospitalization Program is designed to improve personal functioning in multiple areas of daily life.
For referrals, or to obtain more information about outpatient behavioral health services or the psychiatric Partial Hospitalization Program, call 703-289-7561. The new outpatient clinics are located at:
Inova Behavioral Health Services
A Service of Inova Fairfax Hospital
3020 Javier Road
Fairfax, VA 22031
Inova Behavioral Health Services
A Service of Inova Mount Vernon Hospital
6910 Richmond Hwy, Suite 110
Alexandria, VA 22306
Inova Behavioral Health Services
A Service of Inova Loudoun Hospital
224B Cornwall St. NW
Annex Building, 2nd Floor
Leesburg VA 20176
Inova Health System is a not-for-profit healthcare system based in Northern Virginia that consists of hospitals and other health services, including emergency- and urgent-care centers, home care, nursing homes, mental health and blood donor services, and wellness classes. Governed by a voluntary board of community members, Inova’s mission is to improve the health of the diverse community it serves through excellence in patient care, education and research. Inova provides a healthy environment for its patients, families, visitors, staff and physicians by prohibiting tobacco use on its campuses.
Inova Breast Care Institute at Inova Loudoun Hospital Named an Accredited Breast Care Center
November 20th, 2009
Hospital One of First in Region to Earn Recognition
Falls Church, VA – The Inova Breast Care Institute at Inova Loudoun Hospital is one of the first in the D.C. region to earn a three-year accreditation in breast care from the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), part of the American College of Surgeons, which sets the standard for how breast cancer patients receive care.
“Being one of the first breast care centers to receive this accreditation demonstrates that the Inova Breast Care Institute has a commitment to provide quality care for our patients,” said Kirsten Edmiston, MD, Medical Director, Cancer Services, Inova Health System. “This designation by NAPBC assures our patients that they’re receiving first-class, state-of-the-art care from a facility that has achieved a superior level of expertise in breast cancer care. The Inova Breast Care Institute is more than just one hospital and one doctor – it’s an entire healthcare system devoted to providing the very best in breast care.”
The Inova Breast Care Institute at Inova Loudoun Hospital earned accreditation by meeting or exceeding 27 standards of breast cancer care during an on-site review. The Institute was evaluated for its imaging technology, extensive radiation- and oncology-treatment options, reconstructive surgery, survivorship programs, leadership, cutting-edge research and for offering a breast care navigator who helps patients through their diagnosis and treatment.
Inova Loudoun Hospital joins Inova Fairfax Hospital in this designation. Inova Fairfax Hospital was accredited by the NAPBC in July 2009.
Currently, fewer than 70 breast centers nationwide have earned this recognition from NAPBC, which represents organizations dedicated to the improvement of the quality of care for patients with breast care issues.
“What an honor it is to be one of the first in the D.C. area to receive this accreditation. Inova Loudoun Hospital is excited about delivering on yet another promise to the Loudoun community,” said Susan Carroll, Chief Operating Officer, Inova Loudoun Hospital.
The Inova Breast Care Institute offers a multidisciplinary team of nearly 100 experts across the System who provide a full range of breast cancer care. With access points at each Inova hospital, Inova provides more breast cancer care than any other healthcare organization in Northern Virginia, treating more than 1,000 women each year.
For more information about the Inova Breast Care Institute visit inova.org/ibci or call 703-916-2700.
Inova Loudoun Hospital, serving Loudoun County for nearly 100 years, is part of Inova Health System, a not-for-profit healthcare system based in Northern Virginia that consists of hospitals and other health services, including emergency- and urgent-care centers, home care, nursing homes, mental health and blood donor services, and wellness classes. Governed by a voluntary board of community members, Inova’s mission is to improve the health of the diverse community it serves through excellence in patient care, education and research. Inova provides a healthy environment for its patients, families, visitors, staff and physicians by prohibiting tobacco use on its campuses.
Military to Medicine Places Military Spouses in Key Role at Inova Health System
November 20th, 2009
Spouses to Train Inova Staff on CPOE Use
Alexandria, VA – Military to Medicine, the program that provides an answer to the healthcare worker shortage by placing talented employees found within our nation’s military community in healthcare settings, has placed 15 military spouses as trainers for Inova Health System’s computerized physician order entry (CPOE) system. CPOE enables physicians to electronically enter orders to clinical staff and to such departments as the laboratory, pharmacy and radiology. The military spouses, who began their roles earlier this week at Inova Alexandria Hospital, are part of an underutilized talent pool that often brings years of experience and strong work ethics to employers.
“We’re honored to provide healthcare training and career opportunities to the extended military family – including military spouses, wounded warriors and their caregivers, reservists, veterans and our service members transitioning to civilian employment,” said Daniel Nichols, Executive Director, Military to Medicine, Inova Health System. “CPOE is an important tool for healthcare providers, and these spouses will play a vital role in ensuring that Inova’s staff is trained and prepared to use this system.”
The 15 military spouses represent both full- and part-time workers. “Many of these spouses are registered nurses or have healthcare experience and are re-entering the healthcare field,” said Nichols. Military to Medicine offers an employment pathway for extended military family members with healthcare experience and those who are interested in starting a healthcare career. Inova has hired 35 military spouses through Military to Medicine since October 2009.
Training for the military spouses was supported with donations from the Armed Services Mutual Benefit Association, Verizon and the Arlington-Fairfax Elks Lodge.
For more information about Inova’s Military to Medicine program, contact Lisa Klein at Lisa.Klein@inova.org or 571-235-8965, or visit inova.org/military.
Inova Health System is a not-for-profit healthcare system based in Northern Virginia that consists of hospitals and other health services, including emergency- and urgent-care centers, home care, nursing homes, mental health and blood donor services, and wellness classes. Governed by a voluntary board of community members, Inova’s mission is to improve the health of the diverse community it serves through excellence in patient care, education and research. Inova provides a healthy environment for its patients, families, visitors, staff and physicians by prohibiting tobacco use on its campuses.
Inova Kellar Center Honored by Leadership Fairfax for Work in Community
November 16th, 2009
Center is Proud Recipient of Community Educational Partnership Award
Falls Church, VA – Inova Kellar Center was recognized for its role as Northern Virginia’s safety-net healthcare provider for behavioral-health services on Nov. 6 at the annual Leadership Fairfax Gala. Leadership Fairfax presented Rick Leichtweis, PhD, Senior Director, Inova Kellar Center, with the Community Educational Partnership Award, which recognizes organizations that best use their resources in conjunction with others to enhance and enrich the lives of children in Northern Virginia.
Pictured L-R: Kevin Reynolds, President of Cardinal Bank, who nominated the Inova Kellar Center for the Community Educational Partnership Award, and Rick Leichtweis, PhD, Senior Director, Inova Kellar Center, who accepted the award on the Center's behalf.
The Inova Kellar Center is the only not-for-profit comprehensive mental health center in Northern Virginia. It provides structured and individualized mental-health, substance-abuse and special-education programs and services to children, adolescents and their families.
Founded in 1987 by the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Fairfax Inc. is a nonprofit corporation dedicated to finding, training and growing leaders in Northern Virginia.
Inova Health System is a not-for-profit healthcare system based in Northern Virginia that consists of hospitals and other health services, including emergency- and urgent-care centers, home care, nursing homes, mental health and blood donor services, and wellness classes. Governed by a voluntary board of community members, Inova’s mission is to improve the health of the diverse community it serves through excellence in patient care, education and research. Inova provides a healthy environment for its patients, families, visitors, staff and physicians by prohibiting tobacco use on its campuses.
Inova Fairfax Hospital for Children Part of National Network That Advances Treatment of Digestive Diseases
November 16th, 2009
New Study Shows That “ImproveCareNow” Program Dramatically Improves Health of Children
Falls Church, VA – Inova Fairfax Hospital for Children is proud to be a founding member of ImproveCareNow, a quality improvement collaborative of healthcare providers that enables children’s hospitals from across the country to systematically collect and share data about the latest treatment methods and their effectiveness.
ImproveCareNow released a study Friday that shows how this surprisingly easy and low-cost system of sharing treatment information dramatically improves the health of children with digestive diseases, specifically Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. The study also reports a striking increase in the number of patients in remission.
“Through collaboration, information sharing and data collection with analysis, we have been able to offer consistent, advanced care,” said Ian Liebowitz, MD, Director, Pediatric Digestive Diseases Center, Inova Fairfax Hospital for Children. “To improve outcomes, we emphasize the use of quality improvement methods and best practices.”
The preliminary data released Friday show that under the ImproveCareNow program, the percentage of patients in remission from Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis increased more than 20 percent during a 27-month period.
An estimated 1 million people in the U.S. have Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, which are due to chronic inflammation of the intestinal tract. Ten percent of them – about 100,000 – are children under the age of 18. Children with these diseases often suffer from abdominal pain, diarrhea, poor appetite and weight loss, and struggle to lead active lives.
Though ImproveCareNow currently focuses on Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, program proponents believe that the model could easily be used for care with other chronic conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease and arthritis.
“ImproveCareNow represents an entirely new model to speed discoveries into practice, by harnessing the motivation and collective intelligence of the physicians, care teams and families,” said Patrick Conway, MD, Chief Medical Officer, OS/ASPE, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “Healthcare reform depends on innovative programs like these that can produce improved outcomes for patients.”
ImproveCareNow was a pilot program of the American Board of Pediatrics, aimed at enabling physicians to improve care-delivery systems. The not-for-profit alliance currently is supported by 19 participating hospitals, as well as such organizations as the U.S. Agency for Health Care Policy and Research, and the Centers for Education and Research in Therapeutics.
“Inova Fairfax Hospital for Children was one nine hospitals that helped found ImproveCareNow. That number has since expanded, and we hope to see continued expansion,” said Dr. Leibowitz.
Please click on the following links for more information about Inova’s Pediatric Digestive Diseases Center and the ImproveCareNow program.
Inova Health System is a not-for-profit healthcare system based in Northern Virginia that consists of hospitals and other health services, including emergency- and urgent-care centers, home care, nursing homes, mental health and blood donor services, and wellness classes. Governed by a voluntary board of community members, Inova’s mission is to improve the health of the diverse community it serves through excellence in patient care, education and research. Inova provides a healthy environment for its patients, families, visitors, staff and physicians by prohibiting tobacco use on its campuses.
Inova Mount Vernon Hospital Welcomes Vice President of Medical Affairs
November 12th, 2009
Physician Brings More Than 20 Years of Medical Management Experience
Alexandria, VA – Inova Mount Vernon Hospital has named Donald Brideau, MD, as its new Vice President of Medical Affairs. Dr. Brideau brings more than 20 years of experience in healthcare management to his new role.
Dr. Brideau will be responsible for improving quality initiatives, strengthening communications between the medical staff and administration, and helping to oversee the efficiency of medical care.
“Donald’s extensive medical background and leadership experience will encourage physician input and collaboration,” said Barbara Doyle, CEO, Inova Mount Vernon Hospital. “We’re confident that his commitment to our physicians and staff, as well as to the community, will be an asset to the hospital.”
Before being named Vice President of Medical Affairs, Dr. Brideau served as a physician advisor for Case Management, and chairman of the family medicine department, at Inova Mount Vernon Hospital. While in those roles, he acted as a liaison between physicians and various departments to increase communication and support the delivery of quality care. Brideau also is president of a local family-medicine practice.
Dr. Brideau is a graduate of Georgetown University. He earned his medical degree from George Washington University and a Master’s degree in Medical Management from Carnegie Mellon University. Dr. Brideau is a board-certified family physician and a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians.
Inova Health System is a not-for-profit healthcare system based in Northern Virginia that consists of hospitals and other health services, including emergency- and urgent-care centers, home care, nursing homes, mental health and blood donor services, and wellness classes. Governed by a voluntary board of community members, Inova’s mission is to improve the health of the diverse community it serves through excellence in patient care, education and research. Inova provides a healthy environment for its patients, families, visitors, staff and physicians by prohibiting tobacco use on its campuses.
Inova Health System Gala Raises More Than $1 Million
November 9th, 2009
Contributions to Support Inova Hospitals, Services and Research
Pictured L-R: Physician Chair H. David Reines, MD; Mistress of Ceremonies Nina Totenberg of NPR; Knox Singleton, President and CEO, Inova Health System; and Peggy Singleton.
Inova Health System’s 2009 Gala raised more than $1 million for the System’s hospitals, services and research. The Oct. 24 event featured entertainment from “Queen of Soul” Aretha Franklin.
Inova Loudoun Hospital Offering “Smart Heart” Lecture On Cardiac Arrhythmia
November 1st, 2009
Leesburg, VA – As part of its free “Ask the Expert” lecture series, Inova Loudoun Hospital will host “Managing Your Cardiac Arrhythmia,” on Thursday, Nov. 12, from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
Attendees will learn about the causes of common arrhythmias and various treatment options. Having a heart attack or heart disease changes your life. By making some small changes in your lifestyle, you can make a big difference and keep your heart healthy. In addition to lifestyle, factors like sleep apnea, hypertension and coronary artery disease can also play a role.
Presented by Young Park, MD, Cardiologist, Inova Loudoun Hospital, the lecture will be held at Inova Loudoun Hospital, 44045 Riverside Parkway, Leesburg, VA 20176 in Conference Rooms A and B. Participation is free, but registration is requested. Call 703-750-8800 or register online at inova.org/asktheexpert.
Inova Loudoun Hospital, serving Loudoun County for nearly 100 years, is part of Inova Health System, a not-for-profit healthcare system based in Northern Virginia that consists of hospitals and other health services, including emergency- and urgent-care centers, home care, nursing homes, mental health and blood donor services, and wellness classes. Governed by a voluntary board of community members, Inova’s mission is to improve the health of the diverse community it serves through excellence in patient care, education and research. Inova provides a healthy environment for its patients, families, visitors, staff and physicians by prohibiting tobacco use on its campuses.
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